No matter the venue she enters, there will be an enthusiastic audience waiting for her.

The Purdue faithful’s oohing and aahing said it all. Every time Hannah Stuelke gets onto the basketball court, she finds fresh ways to surpass her previous performance, which has caught the sports world by storm.

Hannah Stuelke, an Iowa forward, realizes her full potential.

The Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year, who is a versatile player, has a lot riding on her shoulders.

IOWA CITY, Iowa: Raina Harmon, assistant coach of Iowa women’s basketball, whispers the same objective to sophomore forward Hannah Stuelke at least once a week.

Harmon intends to mention it casually or after a practice following a significant play, hoping that the 6-foot-2 Stuelke will get closer to the actual target with each passing week.

“Future All-American,” proclaims Harmon.

If you ask any member of the women’s basketball team about Steulke, they will just add to the high hopes that the product from neighboring Cedar Rapids has garnered.

Head coach Jan Jensen, a longstanding assistant, remarked, “We have high expectations for her.”

A tour of Iowa’s film room reveals a mural depicting Hawkeye athletes in the middle of the space. Caitlin Clark, an All-American senior outstanding guard, is the focal point of the painting. Stuelke is splitting center with Clark. It’s another sign of how people close to Stuelke see the player’s development.

Stuelke was the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year as a freshman, and her potential made many excited about what lied ahead for her. Stuelke, who is already a starter, will play a bigger part for the Hawkeyes this season. She will be a vital component of the No. 3 Iowa squad that plays No. 8 Virginia Tech on Thursday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN2) in an attempt to win the national title again.

Speaking with Stuelke reveals a player who is prepared for every situation, for the current season as well as future ones. In the words of another Iowa staff member, “she’s up next.”

Harmon remarked, “She has big hopes.” She observes what Caitlin Clark has accomplished in this situation. She is aware that Caitlin will leave this program at some point in the future, and she is excited about the prospect of taking over as its anchor.

The process of choosing the college where they’ll continue their basketball career usually involves many campus visits, a series of online graphics that gradually reduce down their options to a few colleges, and a dash of suspenseful anticipation for many top-50 high school prospects. For Stuelke, such was not the case.

Growing up, Stuelke was a devoted Hawkeye, with her family frequently going to basketball games where she saw her home team’s stars, including All-Americans Megan Gustafson and Kathleen Doyle, as well as Tania Davis. Stuelke had her heart set on one school, but she started to receive interest from others in the seventh grade.

She was shocked to learn that Iowa was offering Stuelke a seventh-grade position. In the spring of her first year of high school, she committed to Iowa.

As a senior, Stuelke won the title of Iowa Miss Basketball. “Your goals become reality,” she stated. “I find being at home to be incredibly wonderful.”

As it is for most college freshmen players, Stuelke’s first year at Iowa was about overcoming the learning curve. As a touted recruit on a team that was positioned to perform at a high level, Stuelke was forced to learn quickly, process and contribute.

“I grew up a lot,” said Stuelke, who averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds on 61% shooting as a freshman. “I just knew I had to come in and play my role really well. I think I did that.”

In her sophomore season, Stuelke has been slotted into the starting five. She’ll have the lofty assignment of helping to replace the production of forward Monika Czinano, who was a cornerstone of the program. Stuelke won’t have to do it alone, but her performance in the frontcourt will be vital to the Hawkeyes’ ceiling this season.

“I’m excited to get back out there and show people what I can do,” Steulke said.

Quite frankly, Iowa City hasn’t seen Stuelke’s level of athletic versatility in a long time.

“I was like, ‘Wow, she’s a freakin’ athlete,'” remarked senior guard Kate Martin, “I guess one of the first days of our summer practice, when she first got on campus.”

In her eighth season at Iowa, Harmon remarked, “I think she’s one of the most athletic girls that I’ve had the privilege to coach.” “She accomplishes a lot of things on the floor that other players just aren’t able to do with their skill sets.”

Harmon made special mention of Stuelke’s capacity to take off during her second jump, which is the leap that follows an initial jump against a rival player.