A new season under Jan Jensen comes with a nonconference schedule that tells you plenty about where Iowa women’s basketball stands before the Big Ten grind even begins. After that early exit in the Round of 32, the Hawkeyes head into 2026-27 with a chance to reset, and the opening stretch is loaded with opportunities to learn fast.
The biggest eye-catcher is Iowa’s third game of the season: a road trip to UConn. That’s a massive ask, plain and simple, against one of the sport’s great dynasties. It’s also the kind of game that can reveal a lot about a team before the calendar really gets rolling.
Iowa’s schedule also includes Vanderbilt in Sioux City, Iowa, plus a home matchup with Iowa State. Those three games stand out as NCAA Tournament-caliber tests, and that’s exactly what makes the nonconference portion so valuable.
It’s not just about padding the record. It’s about figuring out who fits, who can handle pressure, and how this roster stacks up against real competition.
That said, wins still matter. Iowa should be favored in the other seven games on the slate, with two of those still TBD as part of the Baha Mar Hoops event in the Bahamas.
At the very least, a 9-3 start feels like the baseline. Anything less would raise real questions about the ceiling of this group.
The roster itself is where the intrigue really starts. Iowa has returning pieces in Taylor Stremlow, Ava Heiden, and Chit-Chat Wright, all of whom logged meaningful minutes last season and are expected to take another step in 2026-27.
The transfer additions bring another layer. Dani Carnegie arrives from Georgia, and Amari Whiting comes over from Oklahoma State. Both are experienced guards with the kind of background that should help right away against strong opponents.
And then there’s McKenna Woliczko, Iowa’s highest recruit since Caitlin Clark. The five-star multi-tooled guard is expected to be on the floor early and often, and getting her comfortable during the nonconference schedule looks like one of the key jobs for this team before the tougher part of the season arrives.
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Iowa Camp Praise Put These Overlooked Veterans In The Spotlight
Training camp has given Kirk Ferentz a chance to sort through a roster that is younger than Iowa would prefer, and a few upperclassmen who spent much of their careers in the background are suddenly getting a louder mention. The Hawkeyes coach pointed to offensive linemen Jack Dotzler, Cael Winter, Leighton Jones and Michael Myslinski, along with defensive linemen Will Hubert and Luke Gaffney, linebacker Landyn Van Kekerix, and receivers Dayton Howard and Jarriett Buie as players who should factor prominently when the season begins.
For Iowa, the interest goes beyond simple depth chart talk. With several seniors and transfers gone, the program is looking for steady voices and dependable snaps from players who have waited their turn, and Ferentz made clear that this group will be asked to help fill that leadership gap. The next step is seeing which of those camp standouts can carry that praise into real playing time once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Fitzgerald Had One Powerful Reason To Stay At Iowa
Ryan Fitzgerald had a built-in chance to make a clean break when his father, Pat Fitzgerald, landed at Michigan State after leaving Northwestern. A coach and two players from Iowa eventually followed Pat to East Lansing, but Ryan stayed put, choosing to keep his place in the Hawkeyes quarterback room and remain tied to the program he had already grown attached to.
For Iowa, that decision says plenty about how much the program can mean to a player once he finds his footing there. Ryans choice also adds an extra layer to a familiar Big Ten storyline, with his father now coaching against Iowa and one family connection left on the opposite sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Former Hawkeye Opens New Chapter In A Spot Iowa Fans Know Well
The 2026 college football season is getting an early start with Week 0 games in Ireland and across the United States, and for Iowa fans, one of the more familiar names in that opening slate will be lining up somewhere new. Former Hawkeye running back Terrell Washington Jr. has transferred to New Mexico State, and his first game in an Aggies uniform comes Saturday against Florida State.
Washington spent three years at Iowa, where he carved out a role in the backfield and as a pass-catcher before deciding to open the next chapter of his career elsewhere. His departure leaves Iowa followers watching from a distance as he steps into a fresh situation, and the matchup to begin that journey adds an immediate layer of attention to a player many around Iowa City already know well. [Read more 🡒]