Hard work fuels strong start for Sycamore grad Kylie Feuerbach

A full offseason with extra time spent in the gym – and without injury rehab – has led to a scintillating start to the season for Kylie Feuerbach.

The Sycamore native and redshirt senior at the University of Iowa was stellar in the season opener last week, and through two games leads the Hawkeyes in rebounds, steals and 3-pointers and is second on the team in assists in a 2-0 start.

“It’s just really cool to have such a strong start, and it obviously helps add to my confidence,” Feuerbach said after Wednesday’s 91-73 win over Northern Illinois. “I’ve put in a lot of extra work this offseason, and it’s just nice to see it pay off.”

Feuerbach followed a 14-point, nine-rebound, five-assist, six-steal game against NIU with seven points, four rebounds and five assists in a 71-52 win over Virginia Tech on Sunday. She is tied with Hannah Stuelke for the team lead with 13 rebounds, leads the way with six steals and five 3-pointers, and her 10 assists are behind only Lucy Olsen (11 assists). Feuerbach’s 21 points are fourth-best for the Hawkeyes.

She gives a lot of credit to the type of work she was able to do during the summer. After spending last offseason recovering from a knee injury that forced her to miss the entire 2022-23 season, Feuerbach was thrilled to focus on basketball the past six months instead of the healing process.

“It was so fun to finally work on my game and not worry about an injury. I definitely feel like I was able to improve on the skills I wanted to,” she said. “I think confidence is really important for me, and finally getting my shots up and working on my game, it’s been a really fun summer.

“After having to do rehab last summer, to finally have that solid year under my belt, finally having that summer to work and now this preseason, I feel like I’ve finally been able to get in the flow. It was just knowing the things that I have to work on regardless of where my body’s at health-wise, and I feel good and feel healthy, which is great.”

Feuerbach was one of the first players off the bench during Iowa’s run to the NCAA championship game last season, after watching the Hawkeyes’ first run to the title game in street clothes in 2022-23. Now, she’s stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

She has been in the starting lineup in both regular-season games and Iowa’s exhibition win over Missouri Western, and is second only to Olsen in minutes played through the first two games, clocking nearly 67 minutes on the court.

“Honestly, whenever my time comes, it’s great,” Feuerbach said. “I have a lot of girls who are great around me, so that helps a lot. I’m not always going into a game expecting that [near double-double] to happen. I kind of come in with the same mentality as I always do, just working as hard as I can, staying consistent in the gym, and whatever the outcome is, I’ll always be satisfied as long as I’m working hard.”

Her hard work has never been doubted by her teammates and coaches, but her approach to the game during the hot start is what they’ve been waiting for.

“They’ve obviously harped on that with me, being more aggressive, playing with more confidence, and I think it’s being consistent in the gym and getting my confidence up and knowing that I’ve put the extra work in to get where I’m at,” Feuerbach said. “[My teammates and coaches] are all very uplifting, and it’s always good to know I’m going to have them around me.”

It’s not just her stats that have been a boon for the Hawkeyes. As a veteran in the program, she is one of the leaders who have seen their roles change from complementary players during the back-to-back Final Four runs to the starters who are now helping a large young crop of recruits find their footing at Iowa.

With the loss of senior leaders Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall, it’s up to experienced players such as Feuerbach, Stuelke, Sydney Affolter, Taylor McCabe and Addison O’Grady to help talented freshmen such as Taylor Stremlow, Ava Heiden, Aaliyah Guyton, Callie Levin and Taylor Mallegni – as well as Villanova transfer Olsen – jell into a cohesive team.

It’s a challenge Feuerbach has found both fun and rewarding.

“Obviously, we have a lot of newbies, so it’s been really cool to have everyone together and put a lot of pieces together. It’s an ongoing puzzle, but it’s super fun,” she said. “I honestly don’t think you could expect this whole summer, preseason, now season to play out as well as it has, just because we have had so many changes and new people and new pieces. But the way it’s played out has been phenomenal.”

The quality of players the Hawkeyes have brought in this season – as well as those players’ quality of character – is what Feuerbach credits with making the transition from the Cailtin Clark era a smooth one.

“That’s a huge, huge head-nod to the program in general, and just the culture. They recruit great players, and everyone that they recruit, they know what they can add to this team, and that’s super special,” Feuerbach said. “Everybody fits. We have such fun teammates, and they’re going to celebrate us, and we’re all very supportive no matter who’s on the floor. We’re all as competitive as we can be, and obviously we want to make the best out of each other. It’s been really, really cool.”

In addition to the fresh faces on the roster, there’s also a first-year head coach at the helm. With the retirement of Lisa Bluder – the Hawkeyes’ all-time winningest coach – this past spring, her longtime assistant Jan Jensen has taken over the program.

Feuerbach said it’s fun to be part of the team that helped Jensen earn her first victory in her first game as head coach.

“It’s weird [to have a new head coach], because it’s very different, but it’s very similar at the same time,” Feuerbach said. “Obviously, they’re both great coaches, but it is very special to get that first win under our belt. Being with Coach J in the locker room after the game was very special, and obviously we’re very happy for her. She’s a great coach, it’s been really fun to play under her, and it’ll be a very exciting season with her.”

Feuerbach is eager to see where the season goes. After having a target on their backs the past two seasons, thanks to deep tournament runs led by the all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball history, the Hawkeyes are flying under the radar this season. Despite three consecutive Big Ten Tournament titles, outside expectations are down; Iowa isn’t even in the AP Top 25 (it’s the top team receiving votes).

But that’s just fuel to the fire for Feuerbach and her teammates as they look forward to the challenge of the underdog role instead of playing the favorite.

“Obviously, it’s still really early in the season, and we have a lot left to do, and we just have to focus on what’s in front of us. We have a ton of games left, and it’s an uphill battle, but we’ve just to keep working hard, getting through it and staying consistent,” Feuerbach said. “We’ll just keep playing together and playing hard, and I think whatever plays out is what’s meant to happen – and it’ll be fun regardless of what it is.”