Iowa’s Top Forward Reopens Recruitment
This upcoming post player group in Iowa was known to be really solid at the top but after the first six or so players committed there was not much left for Division I schools to take a look at. With Grace Boffeli committing to Northern Iowa recently, there was only one borderline Division I kid remaining; or so we thought. Just this week Maddie Mock, a 6’1 power forward from Johnston, decommitted and reopened her recruiting. Mock is our top ranked power forward in the 2020 class and brings much more to the floor than a true post. She has the ability to stretch the floor and shoot it from the wing. Mock is also a very solid passer and is willing to do the little things to help her team win. With schools looking outside of Iowa for post players in the class, Mock reopening her recruitment might give schools another option. She said the following about the decision to open her recruitment back up and what she is looking for:
“I originally committed the summer of my freshman and sophomore year and I never got the opportunity to explore different schools,” Mock said. “I visited Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, and South Dakota but that was all. I’m definitely looking for somewhere that feels like home just from stepping on campus. Most of my family lives here in Des Moines, so I’d like to stay somewhat close. Preferably I’d like to go somewhere that I wouldn’t have to jump on a plane every time I want to come home. As far as coaching goes, I’m looking for a place where the coaches and players have a good understanding of each other. I’m also looking to go into the nursing program, so I’ll be looking for a school with either strong science and math programs or a good nursing program overall. With a major like that I want to go somewhere where i’ll be able to do both.”
There have been a few schools that have reached out to her since she decided to decommit and the suitors have been strong. Regional DI’s who were in the fold prior to her commitment have expressed interest, as well as a flurry of new schools. Despite not playing AAU basketball this summer she has still been hard at work on her game all summer.
“I was nervous not playing AAU this summer because I thought I would get passed up by others,” Mock said. “Then I heard about the Myers twins, Cole and Cory, and I’ve been able to get in the gym three times a week in the morning to workout with them and any other old college kids that came. So I wasn’t just by myself, I was getting to compete with older stronger girls. The Myers gave me a chance to explore different parts of my game. I had the basics down but I was never taught footwork, ball handling, or different ways to finish at the hoop and with practicing with them I got the chance to utilize those skills.”
Certainly Mock brings all that to the floor and more. She isn’t your prototypical “big” as she can play both on the wing and in the post. Mock’s game will work in almost any system at the next level and her versatility is a huge part of her game. With her decommitment, she is opening up avenues to see schools that she hasn’t seen before and truly find a school that fits her.