In April, Indiana women’s basketball added a pair of transfers: senior forward Karoline Striplin from the University of Tennessee and junior guard Shay Ciezki from Penn State. The two were brought in to fill the gaps left in the Hoosiers’ lineup by the departures of forward Mackenzie Holmes and guard Sara Scalia.
Ciezki’s career as a Hoosier got off to a slow start. Through the first three games, she shot 36% from the field and made just one of her nine 3-point attempts. Like Ciezki, Striplin did not start the season with immediate success. The Hartford, Alabama, native tallied 17 points and five rebounds in her Indiana debut but fell quiet in her eight appearances after.
But the two transfers have found their form heading into Indiana’s full slate of Big Ten games. On Sunday, Ciezki and Striplin led the Hoosiers in scoring with 20 and 16 points, respectively, in their dominating 90-55 victory over Oakland University. Striplin went 7 for 9 from the field with five rebounds, as Ciezki went 4 for 7 from beyond the arc with three assists.
“I feel like me and Shay have gotten a lot more comfortable in knowing our roles, specifically and just what coach expects of us,” Striplin said postgame. “And it’s nice to already know that everybody else on the team is stepping up their game, so it just helps us that much more.”
Ciezki agreed with Striplin’s sentiments about finding her place in the new program.
Sunday’s win over the Golden Grizzlies was just a continuation of the transfers finding more comfortability with their new team. Ciezki began to find her rhythm in the Hoosiers’ win over Columbia on Nov. 23, when she scored 34 points and shot 80% from 3-point range. Against Penn State on Dec. 7, Striplin recorded a 22-point performance and went perfect from the field, as she started to find more confidence in her role at Indiana.
“I think (Striplin) has just played really well,” head coach Teri Moren said. “Maybe it was from the Penn State game, but she’s playing with a tremendous amount of confidence right now, which is really good for us.”
Striplin attributed her increase in assurance to Moren.
“For me, specifically, everywhere does things different,” Striplin said. “I think it’s just a matter of like little things that you have to train your brain not to do, so I feel like coach Moren has been really instrumental in me feeling more confident here.”
Throughout the beginning of the season, Striplin has come off the bench for the Hoosiers, splitting time with junior forward Lilly Meister. While Striplin also came off the bench for most of her games at Tennessee last season, she said her time with the Hoosiers has been unlike her three years with the Lady Volunteers.
“I think that it has been two different, very different, experiences for me,” Striplin said. “And I’ve always just kind of done what the coach needed me to do, and, right now, I feel like I’m doing the same. I know Lilly is going to bring her A game every single time, so I definitely want to make sure that I’m going to support her as well and whatever coach needs me to do.”
Ciezki and Striplin's success will play a significant role in the Hoosiers’ performance as they start their full slate of Big Ten games. Indiana will continue conference play Saturday against Wisconsin inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. But after facing the Badgers, the Hoosiers will host No. 1 UCLA on Jan. 4.
“Everyone really brings a lot of energy to practice and each day, and I feel like that can only cause positive outcomes,” Striplin said. “It’s just really nice to see come to fruition right now, especially when we’re about to start Big Ten.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and Savannah Slone (@savrivers06) and columnist Ryan Canfield (@RyanCanfieldOnX) for updates throughout the Indiana women’s basketball season.
