Iowa women’s basketball player Taylor McCabe ready for bigger role in 2024

July 17, 2024

IOWA CITY — The current climate in college sports doesn’t exactly encourage patience, offering contingency plans that have never seemed more obvious or tempting. Taylor McCabe thought at one point one of them might be for her.

Starting her Iowa women’s basketball career with little playing time in back-to-back seasons screams a transfer portal entry in 2024, even if the circumstances of McCabe sitting out most games were understandable. A packed backcourt led the Hawkeyes to consecutive national championship game appearances while testing the endurance of those behind Iowa’s glamorous guards. McCabe was in the thick of it.

She’s still in the thick of it, only this time with a clear path to success after sticking with the Hawkeyes in a situation where many wouldn’t. McCabe enters this new era of Iowa women’s basketball — post-Caitlin Clark and post-Lisa Bluder — as a key player, aiming for a breakout season that could be her first collegiate season as a consistent starter.

“It was a good reminder that not every day is going to be good, not every week is going to be good, not every hour is going to be great. But there’s always more to come,” McCabe said Tuesday, drenched in sweat and beaming from ear to ear after Iowa finished another productive practice. “Just keep that positive attitude and stay ready. That’s kind of my mantra.”

It’s an easy approach to explain, but a lot harder to execute, especially for someone like McCabe who relies so heavily on long-range shooting. Countless practice sessions and tons of extra work are the lifeblood of any 3-point specialist – but that usually leads to in-game results that justify the long days in the gym. McCabe had to make do with a lot of the former and little of the latter in her freshman and sophomore seasons.

There were occasional highlights when McCabe was given extended performances, although the majority of her productions came en masse after the program’s mainstays, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and Clark, had finished work.

“I definitely felt for her a little bit,” senior Sydney Affolter said. “We’ve had pretty similar experiences. It’s hard to stick with it. You put in all that work to not get a lot of minutes on the floor. That’s really tough and I have a lot of respect for that. She’s always in the gym, always trying to get better. So I’m happy for her.”

An 18-point performance with six three-pointers in Iowa’s 100-62 win over Florida Gulf Coast last November gave a taste of what could come if the opportunity arose. Another impressive stat line came a few months later — 15 points with five three-pointers in the Hawkeyes’ 108-60 win at Minnesota on Feb. 28 — followed by another 12-point performance against Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament.

Many called for more McCabe last year when Marshall suffered another midseason slump. But the general consensus was that Iowa’s peak performance was best achieved with Clark, Marshall and Martin off the field. The Hawkeyes would live and die by their experienced guards. It’s hard to argue that any other approach would have produced better results.

So McCabe went ahead and essentially received two years of hands-on training that enabled her to take that opportunity and capitalize. Amid an offseason filled with changes and roster turnover, McCabe is now one of those experienced voices guiding new and younger players through the emotional whirlwind of life and college basketball.

“Taylor was a huge help, especially when my mom and I moved in,” said transfer guard Lucy Olsen. “She showed us around, took us to the good food places, took us to the gym. I didn’t get to shoot right away, but I couldn’t wait. She let me in and we shot together. At least for me, it’s better to talk to someone on the court and shoot baskets than just sit on the couch. It really strengthens the bond and she’s the first person I shot with.”

For a program built on cohesion — and looking to rebuild that following the departure of a stellar graduating class and a legendary coach — it’s little moments like these that can accelerate the chemistry needed to shine on bigger stages.

Now perfectly matched, McCabe and Olsen can throw all day long as gym freaks (and sometimes they do). They’re also roommates who have bonded over their TV excellence across multiple countries.

“Teammates who watch ‘Love Island’ together just get on well on the pitch, I guess,” McCabe said with a laugh, referring to the popular dating reality TV show that airs in both the U.S. and the U.K. “She was fantastic. She’s a phenomenal player.”

McCabe knows she is, too, and hopes to use this opportunity to show just that. There are no more wavering thoughts, no more questions about the future, no more doubts about whether Iowa was really the best choice for her.

The junior with the good shots knows that she belongs here.

Dargan Southard is a sports reporter who covers Iowa track and field for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. You can email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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