By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The sixth year of eligibility was like a credit card Kylie Feuerbach could choose to use.

Feuerbach knew it was there all last season, but she took her time waiting to decide finally whether to use it.

“I didn’t want to necessarily say I was going to take it ,” the Iowa sixth-year guard said on Thursday. “But I knew in the back of my mind I was likely going to, so I was at ease. I wanted to make sure my body, mentally, everything was good to go. And so by the end of the season I was like, ‘OK, I should probably make my decision and announce it.’ But I knew kind of throughout the year I was going to use it.”

With a team loaded with newcomers and younger players, coach Jan Jensen is glad Feuerbach returned.

“Just her wisdom in six years, everything from her maturity, what she’s been through, what she’s seen, her road getting to this spot, is huge for us for leadership,” Jensen said.

Iowa has three seniors — Hannah Stuelke, Taylor McCabe and Jada Gyamfi. Kennise Johnson is a junior. The rest of the roster is either sophomores or incoming freshmen.

“They’re phenomenal at just soaking everything in,” Feuerbach said. “And they just are like sponges. So that helps a lot. They’re great players and they have a great IQ.

“Having that older leadership for me coming up helped a ton. So I want to be there for them, and I want them to know they can come to me for whatever.”

Feuerbach said there were “a lot of pieces” that went into the decision to return.

“One of them being that I just love playing at Iowa, playing for the Hawks in this program,” she said “It’s just a phenomenal program, surrounded by great girls, and the fact that I get to play another year just collegiate basketball, I just love it so much, and I know I would regret it if I wouldn’t have done it in the future. So there’s a lot that goes into it.” 

Feuerbach had the extra year because a.) she played during the COVID-19 pandemic season of 2020-21 at Iowa State, which granted her an additional year of eligibility and b.) she had to sit out the 2022-23 season at Iowa because of a knee injury.

Feuerbach was a role player on the 2024 team that reached the NCAA championship game, but last season started all 34 games, averaging 6.7 points and 2.1 rebounds while being a key defensive presence for the Hawkeyes.

Feuerbach scored in double figures in eight games last season, and agreed with the assessment that during the second half of last season she was playing the best of her career.

“I would definitely say it was just the trust that I had — there’s a lot of unseen hours that go into the gym,” Feuerbach said. “So it was just putting in that extra work and feeling that trust and confidence as the season progressed. Sometimes it takes time to just get in your role, know where you are on the team. Knowing that position in the second half (of the season), I knew I had to step up in different ways.”

“I think she started to become much more consistent last year,” Jensen said. “She’s so explosive, she’s incredibly athletic, and she’s got a heck of a first step. I love her attacking the basket, and if we can continue to get that from her, and then if they sag off a little bit, her (3-point shot) gets so much more consistent.”

Feuerbach knows she’s been around for a while, but being around her teammates for one more season is just fine.

“They probably call me, like, ‘Great Grandma’, but it’s fine,” she said, laughing. “I think I might emphasize my age more than they do.”

Photo: Iowa’s Kylie Feuerbach is happy she decided to use her sixth season of eligibility. (Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)