Iowa Premier Head Coach Greg Dickel puts it simply and succinctly when describing junior backstop and infielder Caroline Wendlinger:

“She’s just a great leader for us.”

That seems to be the consensus when you talk to those in the softball world who are familiar with the game of the recent Univ. of Iowa commit.

Early on in her life, Caroline had a lot of options in what she’d be leading others in, athletically and otherwise.

She began playing softball early on, around six years old, but she also was adept at basketball, dance, soccer and even Jiu-Jitsu which she did for about a year. Basketball was the biggest competitor to her softball journey, but Caroline would give up hoops as a freshman in high school to focus solely on softball.

Her father, David Wendlinger, noticed early some strong personality traits that would hep his daughter eventually become a D1-caliber athlete.

“Caroline is very strong willed,” he explains, “and she’s not afraid to take chances as she is full of confidence.  Really, she is a natural leader.”

There’s that “l” word again—“leader”—which has been a common theme in the athlete’s life along with her obvious natural talent.

Her father remembers a humorous story when a softball coach was ready to risk having some drama in his own home to get Caroline on his team.

“When she was 10 years old,” her dad recalls, “I had her participate in tryouts that my other daughter was attending.  Even though Caroline was set with a team, I’d let her participate just to get a workout in.”

“At one tryout, a coach took notice of Caroline and came to me to offer her a spot.”

“The coach basically offered her the starting catcher spot on his team and was quick to say, ‘Caroline is definitely gonna be my starting catcher and the current catcher is my own daughter!’”

The athlete’s father politely declined the offer, but being noticed and offered a spot on various teams would happen over and over every time Caroline would go to a tryout.

“She is a gamer,” David Wendlinger continues. “Whether on the field or in the classroom, Caroline always finds a way to separate herself from the crowd.”

Coach Dickel’s 18U team is one of the best in the nation and is filled with top talent going to Power 4 conference teams coast to coast.

The Iowa Premier head started the program a dozen years ago and feels Caroline is one of the best prospects to have come out of his organization because of her leadership in the dugout and on the field.

“Caroline first and foremost is a tremendous teammate and greatly unselfish,” Dickel says.

“She always puts her teammates’ success first before her own and she’s the biggest cheerleader on the field and in the dugout.”

But that’s only half of the equation and her dangerous skills at the plate were also what helped the 2027 grad get the offer to stay close to home in the Big Ten.

“Softball wise,” the club coach continues, “Carolina has big power in her bat and really drives the ball to gaps—that was Iowa’s biggest takeaway in her recruitment.”

“Her biggest attribute defensively is her versatility as she’s not only a top tier catcher but can also play both corners well and is an efficient outfielder.”

“All of that makes her value extremely high.”

That package is what has those close around Caroline excited about her future.

“I’m beyond proud of her and all of her accomplishments,” her father concludes. “I can’t wait to see how she finishes up her career in high school and with Iowa Premier.  More importantly, I’m excited to see her live out her dream at the University of Iowa.”

**

Player Name: Caroline Wendlinger
Grad Year: 2027
Position(S): C/UTL
Club Team: Iowa Premier 16U National – Dickel
High School (with City/ST): Munster (Ind.) High
Top Stats: 16 home runs combined in the high school and summer travel ball seasons; compiled a .524 batting average, a 1.429 OPS, and a .905 slugging percentage during Alliance Nationals.

Top Honors: 

• 2025 3rd Team All-State (Indiana)
• 2025 1st Team All-Conference (NCC)
• AGL Battle of the Clubs (Naples, FL) – All Tournament Team (November 2024)
• AGL Texas State Championship (Dallas, TX) – All Tournament Team (June 2024)

Committed To: University of Iowa

*****

When did you officially commit?
On Monday, Sept. 22. I called (Head) Coach Stacy (May-Johnson) to tell her and on Tuesday, Sept. 23 I posted my commitment.

COMMITTED 💛🖤🦅@IowaPremierFP @OliviaHPaz1997 @PaigeShannonIPF @alyssajordan95 @champmindcoach @ericjohnson1342 @MunsterStrength @StacyMayJohnson @FranStrub @Hey_Coach_Bobby @allymiklesh @LineDsoftball @ExtraInningSB @Munster_Sports @MunsterSoftball @AttyWendlinger… pic.twitter.com/5u7gEiK0Nl

— Caroline Wendlinger 2027 (@c_wendlinger21) September 23, 2025

How did you tell the Hawkeye coaches you’d be playing for them?
I was in the car on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  I had just finished my final visit and I texted Coach Stacy and asked her to give me a call because I had some good news!

What factors were key in your choice?
My non-negotiables when evaluating colleges were as follows:

1. The college had to be somewhere I could see myself being if I wasn’t an athlete.
2. I was hoping for something close to home, not just for me, but for my family. I wanted a college that would be playing games in the Midwest so my family could regularly attend games.
3. I wanted coaches that I felt would continue my softball development and help me take my game to the next level.
4. It was important to find a place that wanted me.  A place that was excited for me to be part of the program.
5. Somewhere where I would get a good degree in my major.

After all of my visits, it was clear that Iowa was the best fit for me.  In my opinion, they fit all of these criteria the best.

Did you do anything to celebrate the big decision?
I got myself Chipotle, not much. This is just the beginning, not the end!

Did you take official visits (if so, to where & when)?
University of Iowa (Sept. 12-14), Miami University of Ohio (Sept. 19-20, unofficial) and the University of Pittsburgh (Sept. 21-22).

What did your future coaches say they liked about your game enough to offer you?
For most of my softball career I have been a catcher.  Over the last two years, I have put a lot of effort into my fielding as well.

This past summer, My Iowa Premier team needed me to play third base quite a bit. I think I surprised my IPF coaches and many of the college coaches that were following me. I think it opened many coaches’ eyes to see that I was more than a catcher, but also a legitimate corner infielder.

The coaches at Iowa echoed those sentiments; they loved my versatility in the field and consistency at the plate.

Have they (college coaches) said how they see using you once you on campus?
Like I said, they loved my potential to have an impact on their program.  I’m going to continue to work my butt off to put me in the best position to contribute to the success of Iowa softball from the moment I get on campus.

I’ll play whatever role they believe is best for the program. The team’s success is the most important thing.

What, in your opinion, are some of your biggest softball accomplishments?
Obviously committing to The University of Iowa! Go Hawks! I have dreamed of playing college softball for a long time. I am so happy that I finally made that dream come true.

A close second is definitely joining Iowa Premier. To play P4 college softball you have to play travel ball at the highest level. Iowa Premier gave me that opportunity.  Every tournament we play the best competition in the country, on the biggest stages for the top college programs to see. I wouldn’t be in this position without Greg Dickel and Iowa Premier.

Anything else you’d like to add about this exciting event?
I just want to say thank you to everyone who made this dream possible. Every coach, every teammate, and everyone who supported me to do this.