Addi O'Grady will “probably” be the center of attention in the season opener against NIU

The Hawkeyes have an ongoing battle for position that will continue into the season, but for now, head coach Jan Jensen appears to have landed on a starter. Jensen said that senior Addi O'Grady will “likely” start Wednesday’s season opener, while freshman Ava Heiden will come off the bench.

“It’ll probably be Addi, but they’re fighting really great,” Jensen said during Monday’s press conference. “I think any coach would tell you that’s how you want to fight. If someone has a good lay, they’re the first to jump and do a high-five or a fist bump.”

“Our goal is to give them both the confidence and let them play more freely… It's always fun to start, but I want them to really understand that you might play even more minutes when you come off the bench , depending on the flow of the game).”

Heiden, a four-star center from Sherwood, Oregon, earned the start in the Hawkeyes' secret scrimmage against St. Thomas but came off the bench in Iowa's exhibition against Missouri Western. Jensen mentioned that Ava was feeling “under the weather” and Addi O'Grady put together a great week of training to secure the start.

In the Hawkeyes' exhibition win over the Griffons, O'Grady played 14:59 and finished the game with eight points and two rebounds. Heiden played 12:43 off the bench and totaled ten points and four rebounds. As for college experience, O'Grady has played in 102 games in her career, which certainly played a role in the decision to move her into the starting lineup.

“They both make us look really good in different ways,” Jensen said. “Addi is a bit tall. She really has pretty good timing and assertiveness on defense. Ava is truly mobile. She can penetrate the ground and when she puts it all together, she can be a completely different opponent.”

The Hawkeyes have a long history of success at the center position, including Bethany Doolittle, Megan Gustafson, Monika Czinano and even Hannah Stuelke, who played the position last season. Longtime post coach Jan Jensen talked about what Ava Heiden brings to the table to put herself in the conversation for a big role as a freshman.

“She has something naturally athletic about her. She runs, she has really good jumps, she can get up and hit the rim. She has a really nice, natural jumper, but she's just learning the system. She finds the right time to fly out and get into position (for a jump shot).”

“We're just working on the timing and then showing off her size, if you will, and getting her to be a lot more aggressive… I think when she learns, she's going to be a really tough opponent.”