Iowa State One of 18 Programs To Offer 8th Grader Jenica Lewis
The Iowa State Cyclones are just one of 18 Division I schools that have offered a scholarship to Jenica Lewis, an eighth-grade player from Johnston, Iowa.
Lewis is one of the most sought-after girls’ basketball players in the country, even though she has yet to play in a high school game.
The Des Moines Register wrote a piece about Lewis on Friday.
Iowa State, the piece points out, was actually the first Division I program to offer a scholarship to Lewis. That happened on April 22, 2021. Since then, the Register reports that Lewis has offers from Iowa, Michigan, Louisville, Ohio State, Kentucky, Marquette, Ole Miss, Michigan State, Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Penn State, Florida, Miami, Minnesota and Oklahoma State.
Top Spot Basketball, a recruiting service for girls’ basketball, already has Lewis, a guard, as the No. 1 player in the 2026 Class. All-Star Girls Report Basketball, another service, has Lewis as the country’s No. 2 team.
A lot can change, of course. But given that her talent is already recognized, Iowa State and its in-state rival, Iowa, will not only have to fight off the other, but the rest of the country, for the chance to sign Lewis to a scholarship, assuming she continues to develop.
Both Iowa State and Iowa have incredible in-state talent on their rosters now. Iowa State’s Ashley Joens, who will soon be the Cyclones’ all-time leading scorer, was born in Cedar Rapids and went to high school in Iowa City. Caitlin Clark, who is Iowa’s top player, is from Des Moines.
By the way, Lewis cannot sign a national letter-of-intent until November of her senior year.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
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