Karoline Striplin Wants To Showcase Versatility At Indiana

Karoline Striplin, a transfer from Tennessee, believes she can be more than a traditional post player for the Hoosiers.

Tennessee Lady Vols forward Karoline Striplin (11) drives against Green Bay Phoenix center Jenna Guyer (30) in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Women's Tournament at James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds. / William Howard-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Karoline Striplin has always been able to multitask as an athlete.

When she was in high school, she starred in volleyball, basketball, and track and field at Geneva County (Ala.) High School in the southern extreme of the state. Three-sport high school players have become increasingly rare as the time demanded by any one individual sport makes it difficult to diversify.

It helped that Striplin was coached by her mother, Karie, on the basketball team and that her father, Jim Bob, was the athletic director at her high school.

However, Striplin never shied away from the work required to excel in all three sports. She was a first-team Alabama Volleyball Coaches Association star, qualified for the Alabama state meet in the shot, discus and javelin, and was elite on the basketball hardwood – earning a scholarship to play at Tennessee.

Striplin will bring that work ethic to Indiana. She played three years in a Volunteer uniform and peaked at 7.2 points per game in 2024 despite starting just 11 of 33 games.

Striplin is a 6-foot-3 forward. As a post player, she was brought to Indiana to provide frontcourt depth with Mackenzie Holmes having exhausted her eligibility.

Striplin does not shy away from the responsibilities of playing in the post.

“One thing I pride myself on is just being really physical in the paint,” Striplin said during Indiana’s basketball media day in September.

“I think that if you haven’t seen me play, then that’s something that’s going to stand out. I’m willing to do the dirty work down there, boxing out, taking a charge if they need me to, blocking someone’s shot who’s not my size. Coming up with the O boards that the team needs in crucial moments,” Striplin added.

Then she added one more thing.

“I’m hoping to showcase my versatility this season,” Striplin said.

Indiana coach Teri Moren is banking on Striplin’s versatility, too. Striplin was able to spread the floor during her time with the Volunteers. She converted 38.7% of her 3-point shots in 2023, though she averaged under 1 attempt per game. She took more threes (58 attempts) in 2024 and converted fewer (31%), but that didn’t deter Moren from going after Striplin.

“We were able to play Tennessee on our schedule for the last couple of years. So being able to see Strip and watch her and prep against her, knowing that she was a five that (adds something) not only stature-wise, build-wise, experience-wise, but also can pick and pop. She has the ability to knock down shots from the outside,” Moren said.

Tennessee's Karoline Striplin (11) looks to the basket while guarded by EKU's Brie Crittendon (3) and Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor (32) during an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, December 10, 2023 in Knoxville, Tenn. / Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

That fits in with Moren’s desire to play a five-out offense. She wants to make sure Indiana doesn’t fall into the trap of running the same offense year-to-year, so having bigs who can shoot is important when playing five-out.

Striplin said the veteran presence on the Hoosiers – Yarden Garzon, Chloe Moore-McNeil and Sydney Parrish have all played major minutes for at least two seasons – has helped the transition process.

“It helps tremendously. I think that they help me slow the game down and they helped me look at the perspective of ‘why are we doing this?’ Instead of my brain going 90-to-nothing. It’s helped me be more confident in what I’m doing,” she said.

Striplin said she’s felt welcome from the time of her arrival in May. That includes her relationship with fellow post player Lilly Meister.

The Meister-Striplin dynamic is an interesting one. Meister has had more time with Moren as she enters her third year as a Hoosier. On the other hand, Striplin has played more college games than Meister (91-63), and Striplin has logged more than twice as many minutes (1,099-536) as Meister.

Who will play more? That remains to be seen, but Striplin has welcomed the competition and the hospitality from Meister.

“I feel like I’ve been able to learn from her. Coming down to which way to turn when passing, which way to look,” Striplin said. “She’s been a big help in acclimating me to Bloomington. She’s been super nice, super welcoming and I’m thankful to go through this with her.”

That’s a theme that crosses over to all of Striplin’s new teammates.

“I think that the easiest part of all this has been acclimating to all of my new teammates and coaches. I feel that they’ve made this transition as seamless as it could be from that standpoint. I really felt welcome from the moment I stepped foot here in May,” Striplin said.

Related stories on Indiana basketball

• NO SHAME IN INDIANA'S NCAA TOURNAMENT LOSS TO SOUTH CAROLINA: Teri Moren and Indiana's players have pride in their near-miss defeat at the hands of unbeaten South Carolina in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. CLICK HERE.

• GARZON READY TO SHINE IN 2025: Indiana's Yarden Garzon is ready to take further steps in her basketball development. CLICK HERE.

• IU PICKED FIFTH IN BIG TEN POLL: Indiana's women's basketball team was picked to finish fifth in both of the Big Ten's official preseason polls. CLICK HERE.