Austen came onto the Varsity floor last season as a 6’1 SF, who can also spread the floor with a fundamental shot from behind the three point line. She didn’t see a ton of minutes each contest but she stepped in multiple times throughout the year to show she is coordinated, lengthy, and smart when the rock is in her possession. The reason Austen is featured in this piece is because her combination of size and skill. With her natural height and dedicated work either, she just needs to continue to work on the small things and she will return this Winter as a killer for the Trojans.

There were brief moments this season where Josie Austen Josie Austen 6'1" | SF Iowa City West | 2029 IA made her presence felt on the Varsity floor for Iowa City West High School. Austen, the 6’1 SF, saw time because of her height but her game isn’t too far behind that. This was a program that was HEAVY in their Senior leadership so it makes sense that Freshman didn’t stay on the floor for a ton of minutes in a row. They stuck with who has brought them success in the recent years and they won a lot of games because of that but now it’s time for a change. I think Austen is going to have a big role with the Trojans for her next three years. She is going to be one of the tallest and most agile on the floor at all times so as long as the skill-side catches up in the end, there is a lot to like about Austen as an overall prospect. Now we just have to see where she takes things this Spring with her AIA AAU program.

Josie Austen Josie Austen 6'1" | SF Iowa City West | 2029 IA isn’t competing at the Varsity level in every contest so far this Winter but she is slowly getting acclimated to that level of play and that is going to help her down the line. Austen has some better than average height at 6’1, she is pretty versatile as a SF, and she is slowly gaining confidence in herself whenever she takes the floor. Sometimes there can be an adjustment period for young prospects and that is what Austen is working through at this time. If she continues to stack the days, she should be a name we continue to her about over the next couple of seasons.

When you’re starting as a freshman in one of the state’s top large-school programs, it’s going to get my attention. That was the case when scouting Austen and West during an early-season matchup with rival Iowa City High. The Trojans pulled off the road upset with the help of Austen playing her role. Surrounded by veteran teammates, her offensive skills, which are sound, weren’t needed on this night. Austen locked down on defense, adding length and athleticism against a tall Little Hawk outfit. She looked completely calm in the moment, probably partly a function of starting at the state volleyball tournament as a ninth-grader. Austen has the foundation to be impactful in two sports at the 5A level and is a college prospect in both.