Iowa Loses Sharpshooter Taylor McCabe for the Season with Torn ACL
The Iowa Hawkeyes have been rolling through the Big Ten schedule, but now they’ll have to do it without one of their most reliable weapons. Senior guard Taylor McCabe has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn ACL in her left knee, a devastating blow to a team with championship aspirations.
McCabe went down early - less than a minute into Iowa’s 91-70 win over Ohio State - and the concern was immediate. By Monday, the worst was confirmed. An MRI revealed the tear, and she’ll undergo surgery, officially ending her season.
“This isn’t how I imagined my senior season ending, but adversity has always been part of the game,” McCabe said in a statement. “I’m committed to my recovery and to supporting my teammates in every way I can the rest of this season.”
It’s a tough loss, both emotionally and strategically, for an Iowa team that has leaned on McCabe’s steady presence and elite shooting. She’s been one of the most accurate three-point shooters in program history, ranking 11th all-time in made threes (172) and tied for first in career three-point percentage (.407) alongside Kristi Smith. This season, she was averaging 8.1 points per game while shooting 37% from beyond the arc - a key floor spacer in Iowa’s high-powered offense.
“Taylor gave everything she had to this team, and her impact goes far beyond what has shown up on the court,” associate head coach Jan Jensen said. “We are thankful she chose to be a Hawkeye a few years ago.”
McCabe wraps up her playing career at Iowa with 561 career points, but her legacy goes well beyond the box score. She was a key contributor during Iowa’s back-to-back runs to the national championship game in 2023 and 2024, and she's set to graduate in May with a degree in civil engineering.
Her next step? She plans to pursue a graduate assistant role in women’s basketball while working toward a postgraduate degree - a move that speaks to her leadership and love for the game.
From a roster standpoint, Iowa will now likely lean on a tighter rotation, with eight players expected to carry most of the load. That includes freshman Addie Deal and sophomore Taylor Stremlow, who could see expanded roles alongside Chit-Chat Wright, Kylie Feuerbach, Hannah Stuelke, and Ava Heiden in the starting five. Journey Houston and Layla Hays will continue to provide size and depth in the frontcourt.
Deal, a freshman from California, has been trending upward and is coming off a breakout performance - a career-high 20 points against Ohio State. That kind of production will be crucial as the Hawkeyes adjust to life without McCabe. There may also be more minutes available for Teagan Mallegni and Callie Levin as Iowa looks to fill the shooting and spacing void.
Despite the setback, Iowa remains one of the hottest teams in the country. Ranked No. 8 nationally, the Hawkeyes are 18-2 overall and a perfect 9-0 in Big Ten play.
They’ve won eight straight and are now gearing up for a challenging road swing in southern California - a Thursday matchup at USC followed by a showdown with No. 2 UCLA on Sunday.
McCabe’s injury is a gut punch, no doubt. But this Iowa team has shown resilience before, and with a deep, talented roster and strong leadership, they’ll look to rally around their sidelined senior and keep pushing forward in what’s already shaping up to be another memorable season.