IOWA CITY - Iowa’s 2026-27 women’s basketball calendar is finally locked in, and the Big Ten portion brings a little of everything: a home opener against Nebraska, a West Coast swing in late January and a February stretch that features USC, UCLA and Maryland coming through Carver.
The conference unveiled its composite schedule Wednesday afternoon, giving the Hawkeyes the last 18 games on the slate. Iowa begins league play Dec. 5 at home against Nebraska, then gets the Cornhuskers again on Feb. 4 in Lincoln as the two schools’ “double-play” partner.
The middle of the conference schedule looks loaded for a team that is already being talked about as one of the Big Ten’s top title threats. Iowa travels to Michigan on Feb. 7, then returns home four days later to face USC.
The Trojans will have national-player-of-the-year candidate JuJu Watkins back this season after she missed last year with a torn ACL. Reigning NCAA champion UCLA visits Carver on Feb.
The Hawkeyes’ late-January trip to the Pacific Northwest starts at Oregon on Jan. 24 and continues at Washington on Jan. 27. Another notable home date comes Jan. 31 against Wisconsin, which added former Hawkeyes Addie Deal and Teagan Mallegni through the transfer portal.
Maryland’s visit to Carver on Feb. 25 brings Cedar Rapids native Brenda Frese back to her home state. Iowa also has a few road games that are at least manageable in terms of travel: Dec. 29 at Illinois, Jan. 9 at Minnesota and the Feb. 4 trip to Nebraska.
The Big Ten tournament is set for March 3-7 in Las Vegas.
Iowa finished 27-7 last season and tied for second in the Big Ten with Michigan at 13-5. The Hawkeyes reached the Big Ten tournament final and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling in double overtime to Virginia.
Three starters are back for 2026-27, led by all-Big Ten post Ava Heiden, along with Chit-Chat Wright and Taylor Stremlow. The headliners among the newcomers are transfer Dani Carnegie from Georgia and freshman McKenna Woliczko.
Iowa women’s basketball: 2026-27 schedule
Times & TV TBA unless noted
(*Big Ten)
Thu., Oct. 29 - Maryville, EXH (H)
Mon., Nov. 2 - Towson (H)
Thu., Nov. 5 - Eastern Illinois (H)
Sun., Nov. 8 - at Connecticut
Thu., Nov. 12 - Northern Iowa (H)
Sun., Nov. 15 - vs. Vanderbilt (at Sioux City)
Thu., Nov. 19 - Montana State (H)
Mon., Nov. 23 - Utah (Baha Mar Classic, at Nassau, Bahamas), 12:30 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 25 - Navy (Baha Mar Classic, at Nassau, Bahamas), 10 a.m.
Tue., Dec. 1 - at Drake
Sat., Dec. 5 - *Nebraska (H)
Wed., Dec. 9 - Iowa State (H)
Sun., Dec. 13 - Southern University (H)
Sun., Dec. 20 - Northern Illinois (H)
Tue., Dec. 29 - *at Illinois
Fri., Jan. 1 - *at Michigan State
Tue., Jan. 5 - *Rutgers (H)
Sat., Jan. 9 - *at Minnesota
Thu., Jan. 14 - *Northwestern (H)
Sun., Jan. 17 - *Indiana (H)
Sun., Jan. 24 - *at Oregon
Wed., Jan. 27 - *at Washington
Sun., Jan. 31 - *Wisconsin (H)
Thu., Feb. 4 - *at Nebraska
Sun., Feb. 7 - *at Michigan
Thu., Feb. 11 - *USC (H)
Sun., Feb. 14 - *UCLA (H)
Thu., Feb. 18 - *at Penn State
Sun., Feb. 21 - *Purdue (H)
Thu., Feb. 25- *Maryland (H)
Sun., Feb. 28 - *at Ohio State
March 3-7 - Big Ten tournament, at Las Vegas
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