Jan Jensen Media Day News Conference Transcript

JAN JENSEN: Welcome, everybody. Thank you so much for taking the time to come. Once again, every year - I don't know if that shows my age or not - but this press conference comes around quicker and quicker. First off, I want to say a big thank you and welcome to Keelyn. He's done a fantastic job since he got hired and stepped foot on campus. He along with all of our communication people, boy, I know we couldn't have it any better. Welcome, Keelyn, officially. Our first one together.

Anyway, our team. Last year we were the youngest we'd been in a few years, and this year, I've never had a team with six new people and five returners. That's a different feel because the majority of your players don't have any idea how I like to run a box set drill. They don't know how we do free throws, the simplest of things.

In one way, that's really exciting. In another way, I'm constantly reminded that we definitely have a brand-new team. The returners have done a great job of welcoming everyone.

Some days, I feel like, whoa, we are looking great. Other days, I'm thinking, ooh, we need a few more days of practice. It's coming quickly when we start our closed scrimmages and certainly our exhibition games.

I think the melding of any team every year is always the most exciting but also the most challenging, and I think in these new times of college athletics, the melding of teams, tempering that with expectations, is probably the right balance that we're all striving to hit because you have a lot of different kids that are a lot of different ages, that are at a lot of different stages in their careers, and they're coming from a lot of different backgrounds.

Then you're trying to -- you almost feel like you're in a crash course from the summer into the fall, and now when you start having everybody every day, that's when I think you start seeing the quickness or maybe the areas we have to go a little slower to meld everyone.

I have liked this group's togetherness. I've told them since the very beginning that I think a true ticket to any team's success is how together they are but also how "others centered" they are. When you have a team that's willing to pass the ball literally in every realm, I think that's when you have the capability to reach the greatest of heights.

What I've seen from this team in the summer and certainly into the fall is they're willing to pass that ball. They're willing to learn from each other. They're willing to push each other. They're willing to hold each other accountable. So that's exciting for me.

I'd like to just start out by talking about our three captains: Chit-Chat Wright, Ava Heiden and Taylor Stremlow. I think they've done a phenomenal job. They were voted by our team. They've done a good job of teaching everyone the standard, talking about the legacy of all that's gone on before, and trying to meld this group to one that I think will be a really exciting team.

We have a lot of different ways we can go. We have defensive units. We have offensive units. We have some bigger units. We have some smaller, quicker units. Our staff is having a fun time trying to figure out the right combinations.

We're not there yet, but I wouldn't want to be since it is only October 13. But I sure like the direction which we're heading.

With that, I will open it up to any questions you may have.

Q. You mentioned this is still a work-in-progress team. I remember talking with you over the summer about the progress you wanted to see. What has been the progress that you have seen since we talked to you over the summer, and where else can this team continue to grow before you guys start playing officially?

JAN JENSEN: Well, I've been pleased with Chit-Chat Wright. I think Chit-Chat came in and really led. She got her name because she's so quiet, right, but she's much more vocal. She has a much greater presence. She's been a key catalyst in getting everyone to understand what's expected and what it's going to take.

I've liked her calm confidence. It's amazing what can happen when a young person gets a year under their belt and knows the ins and outs a little bit better. I'm excited about her. That's been one of the highlights.

Ava Heiden has had a terrific summer as well. They all have had a great summer, but I think especially Chit-Chat coming in in that point guard role and setting a tone, I've appreciated that. That's excited me.

Q. The last time you lost a second-round game at home was 2022, and you went to the Final Four the next two years. Has that been brought up, that kind of history and the possibility --

JAN JENSEN: I haven't really brought that up yet. I think we knew -- maybe not what's going to happen the next year, like oh, this could possibly happen going that far. More so, anytime you have a disappointment is utilizing it for growth. Certainly no one was more disappointed than myself or the young women in the locker room.

Hey, March happens. You're sometimes on the most magical parts of March, and every now and then you can be on the most devastating parts of March. If you're not willing to take the risk to be part of March, then this is probably not the profession for you.

We did a lot of study and growth, and we're using it to certainly have a wonderful journey. This year they've set ourselves up certainly to have a fun, fun March, but I don't spend a whole lot of time in the rearview mirror other than you have to keep a little bit of it in your heart to kind of motivate you, and certainly there can be some exciting thoughts, knowing what has occurred in the past.

But I do caution everyone with that thinking and the fact that that group was a very special one, certainly led by the great one of Caitlin Clark and her running mates. They had a lot of time together. I think every coach in the country will tell you, those teams that were able to stay together three, four years, there's just something about that because they've been through the ringer. They know a system. Now you're able to recruit people from the portal, certainly add some freshmen.

There is a learning curve with that. Six people weren't here last year when that happened. The five that were, they have that motivation with them.

I think it's a little different story left to right, but certainly one that I will draw upon, I think, as that time gets closer.

Q. Obviously a big storyline for this year is the 4-out offense and you guys transitioning into that. Is this a style based on the personnel that you have now, or is this a style that you've wanted to trend toward but now you actually have the pieces to make it work? And how have they embraced the challenge of learning that new offense, and how is it coming along?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think it's a little bit of both, actually. I do like a 4-out, 1-in. It opens the lane up more for guards. It also is a little bit harder to double your center. Last year I thought it was the right call to go to the double-post offense. That high-low was a pretty good look. When Ava would get doubled a little bit, it's a little closer to come from the elbow down to double.

But this will be enjoyable for the guards because they have a little bit more room to operate to open up that lane.

It will eventually allow everybody a shot at the lane but also a kick-out for the three.

The challenging thing about this offense is it is a motion -- I've said before, it's kind of like a fine wine. It gets better with age. I'm not trying to undersell or overdeliver, although I do think that's a good philosophy. It just can be a little muddy because everything is predicated on the ball. You have to read what the ball does.

Some of our young people have come from all sets. There's never been a read. They don't make a read. Only thing they're doing is they go to point B and then they set a screen and they roll to point C and then that's the extent.

When you're putting six new people into an offense that basically has very few rules, it can look a little herky-jerky at times and you're not initially seeing that fluidity. You're not initially seeing just that beautiful kick-out three. It's not surprising to me at this time.

We're getting there, but it takes a little time because when this offense is done right, our coaching staff really won't know exactly what read is going to happen. So that's when you really get there.

I see glimpses of it, but we do still have a little bit of ways to go, only because we have to retrain. You have to break a lot of older habits, number one; everybody does who has new people from high school to portal. But then you also have to teach a system.

When you're teaching something that has three right answers and you're looking for the best answer, it takes patience and it takes time. It takes video watching. It takes ups and downs. It takes a lot of failing, and then the success will come.

Our staff has worked extremely hard in the summer into the fall, and I think we're beginning to kind of turn that corner to get to everybody's sweet spots.

Q. You guys have won of the most diverse group of newcomers that I can imagine. You have an international player. You have a five-star high school recruit. You have someone from Amari Whiting who's got more experience than almost anybody else in the country. Then you have an all-SECer coming in, not to mention Jocelyn. Give me an idea how that group has surprised you. Has there been anybody that's stood out as far as early returns for you?

JAN JENSEN: That's a great point, and it's one of the most diversified rosters we've ever had. If you look at where everybody is from, we have Alaska down to Atlanta, a lot of things in between, Tucson to Sweden to Dani, who grew up in the Bronx. There are a lot of different backgrounds, and one of my favorite things about coaching teams is the growth that happens when we learn so much about people that have grown up so differently than us.

The coolest thing about college is when we can step foot on a campus but into a team and all of a sudden you become best friends with someone that you never thought you would have been that close to. I love that about our team. I believe that Ella has cooked some Swedish food for our team already in the apartments. We've got a little island flair with Dani. Her dad, they live in the islands part-time.

We are very diverse, and I think that's fun.

The difference surprises, I think Amari has had some wonderful moments; I think Dani has had some great moments. They all brought a lot of great things to the table. I wouldn't think anything has been a surprise. It's trying to make sure we balance all of that experience and get it rolling in the right direction.

Q. Obviously the transfers, the four that you got through the portal, have probably been a pretty big focal point since the offseason this past summer. What's one thing that you would say they kind of share in terms of what you were looking for, and what brought them into the Iowa ranks as opposed to other players or focusing on the class of '26?

JAN JENSEN: I think that they want to win. They are bought into winning. They're bought into how Iowa has won. That was attractive. And certainly being part of this incredible fan base.

With that, I would like to thank the fans yet again. Boy, I just get tears in my eyes when I saw that graphic come up where we'd sold out the season again with the season tickets. That is truly remarkable.

I've said so many times it isn't like that anywhere else. I don't think anybody else has done it, so I wasn't a liar, right? I may be biased, but boy, thank you to the fans. They truly are part of us.

I think that was part of the reason for these four to come in. It's fun to play here. It's meaningful to play here. It's special to play here.

When we talk to these families, that's a great thing to be able to share, and that's what they've wanted to do is be a part of it. That's what they share, and that's the thing that will continue to always push us forward. Every season has its ebbs and flows, but they have a good togetherness, but they do seem others centered, and I'm really excited about that.

Q. You lose a four-year workhorse on the glass and your first all-Big Ten defensive guard in a really long time. How have you seen the team compensate for that? How do you expect the team to compensate for those defensive losses especially?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I am a little concerned about the rebounding just because Hannah -- she should have had an NIL deal with Windex, right? She just was a rebound waiting to happen. That's hard to replicate.

There's a lot of growth in the weight room. I'm liking what I've seen out of Journey Houston. She has a good nose for the rebounding. McKenna Woliczko was looking very strong, but she's also looking like a freshman. She needs to get bigger, faster, stronger, and she will and she is, but you can't jump the steps of how long it takes to understand how when you go up for a rebound that you can feel like you just get jacked and thrown halfway across the lane and there's no foul, and oh, by the way, you're still expected to get the ball.

With Hannah, we're going to have to continue to work on the boards, but we're probably going to have to pick up some areas where we just aren't going to be guaranteed a couple of those advantages with an offensive rebound. I'm thinking we're going to have to be a little bit more efficient so we don't need as many offensive rebounds.

Q. Similar question, but how has the identity of this team kind of changed in its first offseason without anyone from those Final Four runs?

JAN JENSEN: You know, that's a good question. I have not really thought of it. I think the people that were here -- the first year certainly they were trying to etch their own identity, and that was a motivation, and I think they did that. They turned into their own team. The second year, similarly. I don't think anybody -- we're so wired to be forward thinking, and I understand why everybody wants to hang on to that, but I don't think that has been a focus of, oh, we've lost people that know the formula.

I think the formula has changed so much, honestly, in college athletics. The formula, we're building airplanes as we fly with everything that constantly changes in the rules and what are rules and what aren't rules.

I think you have the here and now. So the identity of the team will always be a constant, regardless -- when we were here in 2000, our staff to now, you are so proud and privileged to be part of this that you want to -- you always want to leave it in a bigger place. I talk to our kids a lot about you want to leave your jersey in a better place.

I think that's how they're wired. They want to go far. They have lofty goals this year. But we also know that nothing comes easy, and we're fortunate we have the recent past to build upon.

I think everybody is excited for their new opportunity and their new role. You should be; every time a great era graduates, now it's your shot. I think that's how this team is wired.

Q. You mentioned players with new roles and Journey Houston is one of those players, switching from forward to guard this year. How has she made that switch, and what do you expect out of her this season?

JAN JENSEN: Journey has had a really nice summer. We saw a lot of what Journey could do last year playing as a 4. Now she's playing that 4 guard spot in a motion 1 through 4 facing. I think she's done a really good job. She had a really nice 3-ball going last year. We saw it a couple times. We're working on her versatility to get to the rim.

The biggest thing when you shift from that -- she was a 4 kind of playing near the basket at the elbow and at the hoop, is now she'll have to really be guarding a lot more guards, so the defense on the closeouts and handling when you get switched off on a Juju Watkins or you get switched off on a Jaloni Cambridge, so much of what we do is focused on offense because that's usually what sells the tickets and everybody writes about, but I think anytime you make that shift, being able to guard smaller people, and I think she's really put a lot of attention to detail on that, and I've been really pleased with what she's done.

I think her mental focus has been really great. She has a little bit of that dawg in her, and we need that. You have to have it. You have to have someone that's bringing that. I like the fact that I can count on Journey for that.

Q. Most of your best teams, we all know about the superstars, but when you have versatile players who are selfless and they also fit roles, it seems like that's what takes your teams from really good to next level. It seems like Taylor Stremlow is falling into that category, and we've almost kind of anointed her as the next Kate Martin, which is kind of unfair to her. But can she fit into that glue role that helps facilitate not only the ball on the court but everybody's game around her?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I really do. I think Taylor is an exceptional captain. I think that she has a knack for that. Her head is on a swivel naturally.

I think when you grow captains, the biggest thing is typically when everybody comes into this thing, it's like, it's pretty self-focused; how can I get better, how can I make the starting lineup, how can I get more rebounds, how can I get more points and all the things. Our job as coaches is to kind of curtail that a little bit. We certainly need someone to be the leading scorer. We need someone to be the leading rebounder.

But I think Taylor is one that she was able to think outside a little bit more earlier. Most of the time you're always trying to create that and you have to remind kids of that, and certainly she has to be reminded too; all of them do.

But I think she'll step into that role. I think starting lineups are fluid. I think that that's the big thing that I'll lean on her a lot for, whether she's in that lineup or isn't that lineup or who is, is knowing that when your time comes, that's the ticket. That's the ticket is when your time comes, whether you come off the bench or you start is what can I do when I'm in there, and I do think Taylor has the capability to not only exemplify that but to remind everybody of that.

I think that every team in the country right now, you definitely have to have those captains or players that are wired to really understand that. I think Taylor is just really exemplary at that.

Q. I wanted to follow up a little bit on Journey and then your answer on Stremlow. At this point, what can you tell us about how many players you anticipate seeing the floor this week, how you're planning on managing when can Journey play a 2 versus when you might need her at a 3 or a 4? What kind of insight can you give us at this point on that?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think we're working on that. I did a lot of studying this summer on if you watch the pros on a lot of their management of minutes, the men's side, the women's side, different types of making sure everybody is fresher, how you can monitor minutes and so forth.

We've been kind of experimenting with things of that nature, seeing if I like it, if I don't like it. Been talking to different pro coaches, what they like about it. Talking to different pro players, how did you like it knowing the load was going to be managed.

I think this era of time, as much as we're going, as long as we're going, you have kids who can definitely play. I think it's an interesting time to study things like that.

I think we can be eight, nine deep. I do, including Layla backing up Ava, Layla Hays backing up Ava.

I don't anticipate you'll ever see Journey at the 2, though, only because the defense is -- she's going to be that 4, that power 4. The 4 and 3s are similar. 1 and 2s, who they guard, what their duties are defensively. Certainly the 1 through 4 if you don't have any set plays -- we'll have a few set plays, but the fluidity of the offense, I wouldn't get into where Journey is a 2, a 3, a 4 is. We'll have some structure within that.

But foul trouble, what's nice about it, a 1 through 4, if anything happens like that, you can certainly play through it a little bit easier.

Q. 5-for-5; can we talk a little bit about that? It seems like maybe that role could potentially help you guys more than Kirk's program or Ben's program, but has it been a challenge in communicating with 2027 and 2028 kids, realizing that you're young and you have a potential now to extend players' careers?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think it's just so new. As I said, we're kind of building the airplane as we fly, right. I think it was hard on the class of '27 high school recruits, right. All of a sudden it's like, okay, okay, wait, everybody gets another year potentially.

I think it's a year-by-year basis. That's where we are in the era of college athletics. Certainly I'd love to retain everybody on my team right now. That's my goal is to do that. If we can do it for five years, great.

But other than that type of commentary, I haven't really thought about it much because the way the whole system is set up where people can transfer and do all the things, it's best to focus on the here and now. I think it's a lot like a COVID year; it was great we had Monika, great we had a Kate. So I think it's a year-by-year basis on that.

But I certainly can see why they've done it. I can certainly see the people who think, well, we've done it. But I think I'm just taking it on a year-by-year basis. I don't spend a whole lot of time second-guessing or why did they do that. They didn't ask my opinion. They didn't ask a lot of people's opinion, so this is what we got.

So if you're going to take the good of what you've got, whether you're expanding the field of 64, whether you're five for fighting it, okay, I think that would be a good things if I can do bum-bum-bah, but right now I'm trying to figure out how to have a better practice in about an hour.

Q. It was mentioned that the returners have only had you as a head coach at Iowa. What does a Jan Jensen team look like? Are there specific characteristics?

JAN JENSEN: Well, I hope it's the same team as the last few years. I think teams are not just a reflection of the head honcho. I think teams are a reflection of -- I mean, they're a team. In certainly the great Lisa Bluder era, I don't think Lisa would have even given a thought of that was her team. Certainly it was.

So I just hope these team reflect the best of what you've seen the last couple of years, and I hope the last couple years have given us good memories of what you've seen the four or five years prior.

I hope we're going to be hardworking. I hope we're going to be fun to watch. I hope we're going to be others centered. I hope we're just going to be a team that brings a lot of joy. This sport has given me so many blessings. God has blessed me beyond measure, getting to do my dream job at the same place in two different roles. So I try to coach like that. I hope our players respond like that.

But I certainly know that they will also be a reflection of Abby Stamp, Lasondra Barrett, Randi Henderson, Sean Sullivan, Syd Affolter and Jasmyn Walker. I know how hard our whole staff works. I'm just really fortunate to have those guys at my side.

Q. Good chance you guys are going to start in the top 10 again. It seems like it's a yearly thing. Do you welcome those expectations, and do you feel like your players kind of are used to that now, are used to the expectations of when you're playing basketball for Iowa, there's a good chance you're going to be seen as a top 10, top 15 team?

JAN JENSEN: Yeah, I think there's a gradual acceptance and a growth for that, and that's one thing -- when I started coaching, that's what you're shooting for always. That's what you want to be, a perennial top-10 team. I'm very proud of that.

But I'm also realizing what I'll be more excited about is how we end it. I think it's really early, and I don't say that to diss any of that type of respect.

The early projections especially with all the nuances to the college scene but all the new additions, we're still going through a lot of growing pains. Right now I haven't even gotten to the stage of using this as motivation and this is what we're shooting for. It's because you're still building confidence.

Even your most successful incomers, there's always that point like, man, it's hard to dribble today, right. I think that's the juxtaposition of having that. And I would venture to say, the others in the top 10, there's moments where they're like, holy cow, we don't even look top 50 today. But holistically yes, I think that's a great place for our program to be. I think we've earned it. I think we've worked hard to be consistently among that.

But we are not where I think the UConns are, where you can probably put down a pretty high dollar amount that they're going to start and finish there, right. But I think that I'm really grateful where we are, but I know we have a lot, a lot of work to do if people have picked us that high.

I'm not worried about it; it goes every which way. The end one, that's the one I'm most concerned about.

Q. You talked about the diversity of this team a little bit earlier. What's something that you've learned, whether it's basketball related or not, from some of your players that aren't from the state of Iowa and learning about some of their cultures?

JAN JENSEN: Well, I learned there's a place in town that advertised a Swedish roll, and I learned that they really don't have those in Sweden. So Ella was showing us what was a true Swedish little sweet or not.

I wouldn't say anybody has been -- when we recruited, they knew what they were coming to. If you're coming from Atlanta or the Bronx, it certainly isn't that. But I don't think there's been any surprises.

I think the coolest part is how they've shared their backgrounds. Listen to Layla tell them what it's like to grow up in Alaska and what she does on the weekend. Just big eyes from, like, Dani: Really? No way. You did this with salmon or whatever. I think that's the coolest part.

I think they've all shared different things with that. But I think that -- I hope as close as they've been off the court, I can't wait to see that really happen on the court, and that just continues to take time.

I'm telling you, we are so ready to play anybody than our male practice squad. We've got some pretty good shooters, and they've been shooting lights out. We know each other's play so well. So we're getting into the stage where we'll have private scrimmages and exhibitions. I'm excited to take that next step forward.

 

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