Iowa Hawkeyes recruit Callie Levin hoping to lead Solon (Iowa) to 3A title
SOLON – Callie Levin continues to evolve as a basketball player.
Sure, the Solon High School senior standout possessed Division-I scholarship offers before she ever played a varsity game. And yes, it has been nearly three full years since she committed to the University of Iowa.
But that was never the end goal for Levin. There have always been improvements to be made for the 5-foot-9 guard.
“When you commit that early, some people, they don’t think you have to work as hard,” said Levin, who will lead the Class 3A third-ranked Spartans into the girls’ basketball state tournament Feb. 27 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. “But it's important to just continue to do what you do. Continue to get in the gym. Continue to thrive and I feel like I've been doing a really good job with that.”
Levin quickly learned that early accolades would draw the attention of opponents. Three years ago, her all-state freshman campaign – in which she started all 23 games, averaged 19 points per contest, picked up scholarship offers from Arkansas, Drake, Iowa State and Oklahoma State and helped Solon to its largest win total (17) in 10 years – was derailed one game shy of the Spartans’ first state tournament appearance in 15 years by Davenport Assumption’s defensive attention and a raucous opposing crowd.
After scoring Solon’s first five points that night, Levin was shut out over the final three-and-a-half quarters in a 49-36 loss, the Spartans’ lowest point total that season.
“We’ve had long conversations over the past few years about, ‘You know, you have to grow from that,’” Solon head coach Jamie Smith said. “I’ll never forget, her freshman year … over at North Cedar against Assumption. The crowd kind of got on her early with ‘overrated’ and stuff like that. She kind of freaked out a little bit. But now, that stuff doesn’t faze her. I think that triggers her even more to do great things.”
No doubt. Last year, Levin and Solon finally earned its first state berth since 2006. This year, her 26-point performance in Saturday night’s 73-41 regional final win against No. 14 Chariton delivered the Spartans to state in back-to-back seasons, a first for the Solon program since winning a pair of 2A state titles in 1997-98.
“I just matured a lot,” Levin said. “I worked really hard on my mental game. It’s so important. Having been in those situations before has helped me out. Basketball is a lot of mental, so you have got to be able to handle those environments and thrive in them and that is what I try to do. I try to just be confident and that gives my teammates confidence, too.”
Solon (21-3) – seeded third in the eight-team 3A state bracket – should bring plenty of confidence into its state quarterfinal game against sixth-seeded Dubuque Wahlert (19-5) Feb. 27 at 10 a.m. The memory of last year’s two-point loss in the state semifinals to Sioux Center – the eventual 3A state champion that routed its other two state opponents by an average of 20.5 points per game – still stings the Spartans.
“That game was the state championship game,” Levin said. “After that, we were heartbroken. It was a tough game. I remember I fouled out. Had to sit. So this year, we are just going to do things differently. We’re going to go out and win a state title.”
Doubt Levin at one’s own peril. Her father, Nate Levin, coached Callie from second through eighth grade with the Solon Heat youth team, which fostered bonds and chemistry with fellow Solon students that last to this day.
In eighth grade, Callie joined the Amateur Athletic Union team All-Iowa Attack and schools like Iowa, Marquette, Purdue and Utah were added to the aforementioned original quartet of scholarship offers. In July 2021, Callie helped the AAU club win the 16-and-under championship at Nike Nationals.
“It’s been amazing,” Nate Levin said. “The amount of time that she puts in to continuously get better. She obviously cares about success for her teammates. She is the ultimate team player and leader on the floor.”
Two weeks after winning the AAU national title, Callie became the first player from the Class of 2024 to commit to Iowa. In the three varsity seasons since her commitment, the Iowa women’s basketball program – led by NCAA career scoring leader Caitlin Clark, who would be Levin’s teammate next year if she chooses to use her final year of college eligibility – has become a national phenomenon and was the 2023 NCAA tournament runner-up.
“I just remember committing my freshman summer and I've always wanted to go to Iowa,” Callie said. “So just to be able to watch them do these amazing, incredible things. Grow the game. It's such a privilege. I'm so excited, so blessed. It’s just so surreal that I get to go play for the Hawks.”
Levin has grown and improved in a host of ways over the past three years. She has developed a greater understanding of the game, a more consistent mid-range jump shot, made huge strides on the defensive end of the floor and has become a trusted leader to her teammates.
“She is a huge leader,” Solon senior Anna Quillin said. “She has been starting … since she was a freshman. She has been a role model, especially for a lot of young girls. She picks people up when she is down. She knows how to get the right shots off. She works hard for every point, works hard for every rebound. She really is a great team player.”
Levin’s mental game — which was famously challenged as a freshman — has seen dramatic improvement by virtue of a helpful pregame regimen.
“Before the game, she takes the time to find that calm and that peace,” Nate Levin said. “She’s a very faithful individual and that helps her approach in those big games.”
On the court this season, Levin leads the Spartans in points (22.4 per game), assists (4.5) and steals (5.1) and is second in rebounds (7.2).
In her career, Levin has already surpassed 500 rebounds, 400 steals and is one assist away from 400. The presumptive four-time all-state honoree needs just 72 points at the state tournament to reach 2,000.
“I’ve been here six years,” Smith said. “She was in seventh grade with those seniors and I’ve spent a lot of time with Callie. What can you say? She’s a gamer. We’re asking her to post up. We’re asking her to do a lot of stuff. I love that kid. For several reasons.”
Levin’s three-point shooting is also on the uptick. After shooting 25 for 83 (30.1 percent) from three-point range through the first 11 games of the season, Levin has shot 46.1 percent (42 for 91) from beyond the three-point line over the last 13 contests.
“She’s always been a pretty good shooter,” Smith said. “But this year … she is a different level from three. Her mid-range jumper and her defense is really good. We don’t use her on-ball as much as we used to. We’ve got Mia (Stahle) and Kobi (Lietz). They’re pretty damn good on the ball. So defensively, we’re lucky to have her and I think she is going to surprise some people at Iowa.”
Before Levin reports to Iowa City this fall, there is this little matter of chasing a state title with Solon. And there is precedence in Levin’s favor. The Spartans’ last two girls’ basketball state championship teams (1997-98) were also led by a future Iowa Hawkeyes’ player in Lindsey Meder.
“It’s going to have to take hard work,” Levin said. “Heart. We’ve got to work together and be confident in who we are and what we can do. We’re just going to continue to get better in practice and continue to preach on what we want. Our dreams, our goals and we are just super excited.”
--Douglas Miles I @SBLIveIA
