July 16, 2008
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IOWA CITY, IA – Former University of Iowa women’s basketball standout Johanna Solverson has inked a deal to play professionally in Thessaloniki, Greece, beginning Sept. 1.
“I’ve had a great time here in Iowa City over the years,” Solverson said Tuesday. “At the same time, I am ready to move on. It’s always been my dream to play professional basketball.”
Thessaloniki was the first stop in the Hawkeyes’ trip of Greece prior to the 2007 season. Solverson noted that the city stuck out to her then, even though she was unable to play.
“I liked the city,” she said. “It’s Americanized in its own kind of way. There was a lot to do.”
By now, it seems that everyone has heard about Solverson’s journey as a Hawkeye. She suffered back-to-back ACL injuries in the same knee during the summers of 2005 and 2006 and was granted a sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA in 2007, helping lead the Hawkeyes to a share of the Big Ten regular season championship. What is more amazing, though, is that Solverson played the 2007 Big Ten season (18 games) with a torn meniscus.
“It was something that built up from the beginning,” said Solverson. “There were times when it killed me and times where I couldn’t feel anything. I first felt it at Minnesota (Jan. 3) and it flared up again during the Big Ten Tournament.”
This summer, Solverson is rehabbing her knee and hopes to get back on the floor in a couple of weeks. Having been through similar injuries before, Solverson understands she will need to take it slow in order to get back to game speed.
“I’m not trying to push it,” she said. “I know I can come back from this because I’ve been through it and I know what it takes. Right now, I am working on conditioning the best that I can.”
Solverson plans on leaving the country towards the end of August, but not before stopping in her hometown of Lake Zurich, IL, to spend some time with her family.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” Solverson said. “I know the date is rapidly approaching and I know I signed the contact, but it’s a little nerve-racking to be in a country on your own. It’s definitely a challenge I am excited for and I will face it head-on.”
Solverson’s ultimate goal is to play professional basketball in the WNBA for as long as her body holds up. She realizes that in order to reach that goal, playing in Greece is a necessary step.
“I think this is a perfect stepping stone to the WNBA,” she said. “I need to get my name out there a little bit. You can’t back down from being paid for something you really love to do, so I am in a very fortunate situation right now.”
As a senior in 2007, Solverson was a second-team all-Big Ten selection, while averaging 10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. She is one of only two Hawkeyes to amass over 1,000 points, 550 rebounds, 350 assists and 175 steals in a career.
Solverson ranks fourth in Iowa career assists (391), fifth in 3-pointers made (125), seventh in steals (192), 13th in rebounding (570) and 18th in scoring (1,130).
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