By Hawk Fanatic

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa women’s basketball team has received a verbal commitment from one of the top centers in the 2027 class.

Khalia Hartwell, a 6-foot-4 center out of Westside High School in Anderson, S.C., has committed to the Hawkeyes over fellow finalists Georgia and Virginia Tech.

She announced her commitment Friday on social media.

Hartwell is ranked the nation’s No. 16 player, the No. 2 center, and the top player in South Carolina, per247sports.

Rivals has Hartwell ranked as the No. 25 player nationally, the No. 3 center, and the top player in South Carolina. Both rank Hartwell as a four-star prospect.

Hartwell visited Iowa City on the weekend of the Iowa-Iowa State football game at Kinnick Stadium.

Hartwell was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year during her junior season. She averaged 12.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game while helping her team reach the 4A state championship game.

She also averaged 15.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.6 blocks and 2.3 assists in 16 games for AEBL 17 this summer.

Iowa head coach Jan Jensen, who was previously a long-time assistant under previous head coach Lisa Bluder, is known for her ability to develop post players, earning here the nickname, the “Post Whisperer.”

The Hawkeyes currently have one of the top centers in the Big Ten in third-year player Ava Heiden.