AJ Ediger Siblings: Meet Abi, Annaka and Aarika

AJ Ediger is a standout women’s basketball player for the Iowa Hawkeyes, known for her versatility and team-first mentality.

Hailing from Hudsonville, Michigan, she grew up in a family steeped in athletic tradition.

A 6-foot-2 forward, Ediger made her mark at Hamilton High School before committing to the University of Iowa in 2019, joining one of the most successful programs in recent college basketball history.

Beyond her on-court contributions, she’s pursuing a degree in social justice and serves as president of the student chapter of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Iowa.

Siblings

AJ comes from a family of accomplished athletes, with her three sisters, Abi, Annaka and Aarika, each leaving their own legacies in collegiate sports.

Their parents, Jay and Annette Ediger, set the tone for this athletic dynasty, having competed at the college level themselves.

Jay played football at Wheaton College, while Annette excelled in basketball and track at Calvin College.

This competitive spirit clearly trickled down to their daughters. Abi Ediger, the eldest of the siblings, followed in her mother’s footsteps by playing basketball and running track at Calvin College (now Calvin University).

Annaka Ediger, like Abi, also attended Calvin College, where she competed in basketball and track.

Her contributions on the court and in the field further solidified the Ediger name in Michigan’s collegiate sports scene.

Aarika Ediger, the youngest sister, carved her own path by playing softball at Hope College.

Her choice of a different sport highlights the diverse athletic talents within the family, while still upholding their tradition of excellence.

Career

Ediger’s basketball journey began on a homeschool team at age nine, but it was at Hamilton High School where she truly emerged as a star.

Playing under coach Jackie Schwark, she led the Hamilton Hawkeyes to multiple deep postseason runs, including a state quarterfinal as a freshman and a state semifinal as a sophomore.

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Her junior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but not before she reached the regional final.

As a senior, she averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds per game, showcasing her dominance in the post while developing skills that would transition her to a small forward role at Iowa.

Ediger signed with the University of Iowa in 2020 and joined the Hawkeyes for the 2021-22 season.

Though not a high-volume scorer at the collegiate level—averaging around 1.6 points per game across her career—her role has been vital to Iowa’s success.

She’s embraced a selfless mindset, stepping in to provide energy off the bench, spell starters, or cheer from the sidelines.

Her tenure has coincided with a golden era for Iowa women’s basketball, including three consecutive Big Ten titles and back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2023 and 2024.

Playing alongside generational talent Caitlin Clark, Ediger has been part of a team that’s rewriting the narrative of women’s basketball.

Before focusing solely on basketball, Ediger also excelled in volleyball, earning Division I offers, and competed in track and field, throwing discus and shot put during her freshman and sophomore years of high school.

This multi-sport background underscores her athletic versatility, a trait praised by Iowa coach Lisa Bluder, who noted Ediger’s ability to “post or face the basket” and provide “various options” on the court.

Accolades

Ediger’s list of achievements reflects her impact at both the high school and college levels.

At Hamilton High School, she became the all-time leading scorer, surpassing Ashley Overbeek’s record in 2021, and reached 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds.

She was a three-time Holland Sentinel Dream Team, Grand Rapids Dream Team, all-region, and all-conference selection, an all-state honoree as a sophomore, and named to the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan’s Best of the Best team.

She was also ranked No. 47 in the 2021 signing class by ESPN. At the college level with the Iowa Hawkeyes, she has been part of three Big Ten championship teams in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and contributed to two NCAA Final Four appearances in 2023 and 2024.

She made her NCAA Tournament debut against Illinois State in 2022.