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Hannah Stuelke had an impressive night against UConn on Friday. The forward played a crucial role in the Iowa Final Four victory, scoring 23 points in the game, more than any other player. She made up for Caitlin Clark’s struggle against the Huskies in the first half of the game.
Even the collegiate athletics governing body was shocked at the performance of Stuelke against the Huskies. After what was an electric performance for the forward on Friday night, the NCAA invited her for a drug test to confirm whether the performance was clean and fair.
The result of the test was negative, clearing Hannah Stuelke of playing under the influence of any illegal substance. The forward made it known that she didn't go to bed until 2:30 a.m. due to the delay caused by the drug testing following the Hawkeyes' hard-fought win.
A brilliant season for Hannah Stuelke
It's been a fantastic season for Hannah Stuelke at Iowa in 2023-24. Despite Caitlin Clark making all the headlines, the sophomore forward has played a crucial role in the Hawkeyes team's success this season. She made that more evident in the Final Four encounter against the Huskies on Friday.
Stuelke has been involved in 34 games for Iowa this season, starting 31 of them. She is averaging 14.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, a significant improvement from her freshman season. The trajectory is expected to move upward in the coming years.
Iowa will need Stuelke to be 100% when they come up against South Carolina in the national championship game on Sunday. The Gamecocks are undefeated so far this season and have their eyes on the national title. The Hawkeyes will hope to repeat their win over them in the 2023 Final Four.
A leadership role for Hannah Stuelke in the team next season
There will be a lot of changes in the Iowa setup next season. With the likes of Caitlin Clark, Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin bowing out of college basketball after the national championship game, Hannah Stuelke is expected to assume a prominent leadership role. She's definitely someone head coach Lisa Bluder will count on as the Hawkeyes begin life after Caitlin Clark next season.
Following an impressive sophomore season with the team, Stuelke has proven she'll be vital to Iowa's success in her final two years of eligibility in the landscape.
