Levin recaps Iowa visit
Class of 2024 PG and Iowa commit Callie Levin out of Solon, Iowa was among the group of visitors for last weekend’s football game at Kinnick Stadium. Levin is rated as the #2 player in Iowa for the class by Prep Girls Hoops.
Levin committed to Iowa back in August of 2021 over other offers from Iowa State, Drake, Purdue, Utah, Arkansas, Oklahoma State and Marquette.
This past season as sophomore at Solon, she averaged 21.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 4.3 steals per game for a Spartans team that went 15-8. Over 46 career games with the team, Callie has accumulated 919 points, 200 rebounds, 182 assists and 193 steals.
She led all freshman in the state in scoring (436 pts) during the 2020-21 season and then was second in the state among all sophomores with 483 points last season.
Jeremy Brooks of Prep Girls Hoops had this to say about Levin’s game.
“Other than being an elite scorer at all three levels, Callie led the Spartans in assists-to-turnover ratio, while also recording 100 steals on the season. I had the chance to watch Callie at the EYBL nationals this past summer while competing with the 17u All Iowa Attack EYBL team and it is an understatement to say that she is a game changer in all facets of the game. Someone who can really impact the game on all levels, even when she is having a rough shooting day. It will be interesting to see how far she can take her Spartans team once the playoffs begin.”
We caught up with the 5’9 incoming junior to discuss her recent visit to Iowa, why she committed to Iowa and more.
Q: Solon is just a short drive from Iowa City. Going back to your recruitment, how cool was it to hear from the Iowa coaching staff that first time and hear they were interested in you?
LEVIN: Growing up an Iowa Hawkeye fan just minutes away from Carver, my dream has always been to play for the Hawkeyes. When Lisa and the coaching staff first showed interest, I was ecstatic and couldn’t have been more excited to start a relationship with them.
Q: What stood out about Iowa that made it an easy choice to commit so early?
LEVIN: Everything. The coaching staff is second to none. They are motivating and so positive. From the get-go they made me feel like I was already a part of the Hawkeye family.
Q: How was your visit on Saturday? What did you guys get to do throughout the day?
LEVIN: The day began with watching the Iowa women’s basketball team kill it in practice. At the end of practice, I got to see the excitement of the team receiving their Big 10 championship rings. That was followed by a delicious breakfast with the team. Then, we headed over to Kinnick stadium. Walking across Slater field, looking up into the stadium full of incredible Hawkeye fans, reminded me of the exact reason why I chose Iowa…the fans are also second to none.
Q: How has your relationship with Coach Lisa Bluder and the rest of the coaching staff grown since your commitment a year ago?
LEVIN: Since the beginning, I have always felt very welcomed and supported by the coaches. We’ve had a lot of great conversations over the past couple years, whether about basketball or life in general. They always have great words of wisdom and I always look forward to my next conversation with them.
Q: Your All Iowa Attack team has a couple of players Iowa is recruiting and you’ve visited a couple of times and gotten to meet more recruits. How important is it to start building relationships now, knowing that a few of them could be teammates in a couple years?
LEVIN: I’ve been blessed with great teammates along my AAU journey. It’s definitely an advantage to meet future teammates early on in the recruiting process so we can get to know each other better and support one another through the AAU and recruiting process. Then…when they make the right decision and commit to Iowa, we will already have a good foundation to build on.
Q: Rewind just a bit to your summer with Attack, how would you evaluate how you played this summer and what did you learn about yourself as a player going up against good competition?
LEVIN: This summer was full of great opportunities, challenges, and top-notch competition. Every time I step on the court, I try to give 110% and be a strong team player. Whether that means getting a steal, making an assist to a teammate, or getting to the basket, I like to do whatever I can to help my team succeed. Going up against good competition pushes me out of my comfort zone and makes me a better player every game.
Q: Getting closer to basketball season, what are some areas of your game you are looking to improve upon this upcoming season?
LEVIN: I’ve been working really hard on refining my game by adding certain elements such as mid-range pull-up jumpers, consistency in my three, and continuing to improve my ball handling and footwork.