HAWK TALK

January 2019

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23 I t was 23 degrees on Christmas Eve in Megan Gustafson's hometown of Port Wing, Wisconsin, but cold weather has never bothered the University of Iowa senior. With her high school court undergoing renovations and nearby gymnasiums booked for events, Gustafson bundled up and made her way downtown to practice at an outdoor court. While it was a site to see for the 164 residents of the Lake Superior town, the story comes as no surprise to Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder. "at's the type of kid she is," Bluder said. "She doesn't take a day or a possession off. She is probably the hardest worker I've ever coached. at is a direct reflection of her success." Humble, hardworking, and a great teammate. Just a few ways juniors Makenzie Meyer and Kathleen Doyle describe their senior teammate. Meyer's favorite description? "She's an automatic assist, I swear," Meyer laughed. "Whenever she is open in the paint, if we get it to her, there's a pretty good chance it's going in." In 111 career games (as of Jan. 3), Gustafson has been just that — automatic. No player, male or female, has scored more points in an Iowa uniform than Gustafson — and there's still 17 regular season games to play. On Dec. 30, Gustafson became the University of Iowa's all-time leading scorer, surpassing both the men's and women's records. Former teammate Ally Disterho (2013-17) set the previous women's record of 2,102 in 2017, while Roy Marble held the men's record of 2,116 since 1989. What's more impressive? She has done it the old fashion way. "It's an amazing accomplishment," Bluder said. "en you think about how she's done this with two-point baskets and not making a three-point basket. She's chipped away at it with two-point field goals and free throws. at's impressive." For Gustafson, the individual accomplishments and accolades were never the focus. "It's exciting to have a couple of the milestones, but I just have to credit my teammates," Gustafson said. "ey do such a good job of setting me up. I wouldn't be able to do any of it without them. I want to focus on the team. at's always been my goal." "Megan is the best teammate," Doyle said. "She is never focused on records, she always wants the team to win. at's the kind of teammate she is. It has been a pleasure playing with her. She's a great teammate, but she's an even better person and friend." e Hawkeyes have eight regular-season home games remaining, including Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. (CT) against Wisconsin. "ere are [eight] more opportunities to see Megan play in Carver-Hawkeye Arena," Bluder said. "is is a player that is very special. We may never see a person that contributes as much to the basketball success — male or female — at the University of Iowa." JAMUARY SCHEDULE Jan. 7 vs. Wisconsin Jan. 10 at Purdue Jan. 14 at Minnesota Jan. 17 vs. Michigan Jan. 20 at Illinois Jan. 23 vs. Rutgers Jan. 27 vs. Purdue Jan. 31 at Michigan

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