ROSEMONT, Ill. — Former Madison area girls basketball standouts Teagan Mallegni and Taylor Stremlow are adjusting to the college level and already have made a positive impression on Iowa coach Jan Jensen and teammates.
“I feel their swag is pretty good,” Jensen said about her freshman class during Wednesday’s Big Ten women’s basketball media day.
Stremlow is “mature beyond her years,” Jensen said. She’s learning from Sydney Affolter, who was a protégé of current Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin.
“You’re going to like her,” Jensen said. “She’s got a little twinkle in her eye when she plays.”
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The first-year coach added that Stremlow can throw in a no-look pass to her game.
Mallegni is a versatile player, a forward who is a great shooter from deep. Junior forward Hannah Stuelke hates guarding the freshman from McFarland in practice because she never expects her to make the shots that she takes.
“Teagan will shoot the lights out,” senior guard Lucy Olsen said. “Every time she shoots it, I think it’s going in.”
Olsen has been impressed with the confidence both players display in practice and their comfort playing their role and style of game.
The two players were among the best 2024 recruits in the state and nationally ranked before joining the Hawkeyes. Mallegni was ranked No. 65 and Stremlow No. 94 in ESPN’s HoopGurlz 2024 recruit rankings.
Mallegni averaged 27.3 points and 10.9 rebounds in her senior season at McFarland. She was a finalist for the best shooter in the state in Wisconsin Sports Network’s senior awards. As a freshman, she was two points shy of breaking former Hawkeye and current Las Vegas Aces forward Megan Gustafson’s single-game scoring record of 64 points.
Stremlow was named the State Journal/WiscNews girls basketball player of the year after averaging almost a triple-double with 18.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists. Her team lost just one game in 2023-24, suffering a 49-41 loss to Arrowhead in a Division 1 sectional semifinal.
Photos: Wisconsin women's basketball defeats Illinois State in the Super 16 round of the WNIT
Wisconsin Badgers guard Sania Copeland (15) drives the ball to the basket against Illinois State Redbirds guard Molly Lenz (1) in the first half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers forward Serah Williams (25) shoots the ball in the first half against the Illinois State Redbirds in the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) dribbles the ball down the court in the first half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) dances in the center of her teammates in celebration of defeating Illinois State Redbirds in the Super 16 round of the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Illinois State Redbirds guard Daijah Smith (5) passes the ball in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Illinois State Redbirds forward DeAnna Wilson (24) drives the ball to the basket against Wisconsin Badgers guard Natalie Leuzinger (24) in the first half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Illinois State Redbirds guard Shannon Dowell (0) high-fives a teammate in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Ronnie Porter (13) high-fives her teammates in the first half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Sania Copeland (15) goes in for a layup against the Illinois State Redbirds in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Halle Douglass (10) goes in for a hook shot against the Illinois State Redbirds in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers forward Serah Williams (25) shoots the ball in the first half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Sania Copeland (15) shoots the ball against the Illinois State Redbirds in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Brooke Schramek (3), guard D’Yanis Jimenez (23), and forward Tessa Grady (12) celebrate in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Halle Douglass (10), guard Ronnie Porter (13) and guard Natalie Leuzinger (24) celebrate in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers guard Sania Copeland (15) high-fives forward Serah Williams (25) in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers forward Serah Williams (25) shoots the ball in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers forward Serah Williams (25) smiles as she sits on the bench in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers celebrate in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Illinois State Redbirds forward DeAnna Wilson (24) blocks the shot of Wisconsin Badgers guard Halle Douglass (10) in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers head coach Marisa Moseley smiles at her players in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Badgers head coach Marisa Moseley smiles in the second half of the Super 16 round in the WNIT tournament at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., Thursday, March 28, 2024. SAMANTHA MADAR,STATE JOURNAL
