Iowa Head Coach Jan Jensen hugs Lucy Olsen as the team finds out they’re a 6 seen in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Sunday, March 16, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Iowa Lands in Preseason AP Top 25

Originally posted on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 1:30 PM ET

After a successful first season with the team, HC Jan Jensen has guided the Iowa Hawkeyes to a preseason No. 21 ranking. After finishing 23-11 last season and getting bounced by No. 3 Oklahoma in the second round of the tournament, it's clear Iowa is once again a favorite.

To no surprise, UConn, South Carolina and UCLA round out the Top 3. Women's basketball has seen plenty of dynasties, but none are able to match up to those schools. Iowa may be building one of their own, but it's going to take awhile before they can reach those ranks.

Regardless, Jensen's team has already earned a spot in the rankings. No. 21 is more than respectable, especially for a second-year head coach with a key transfer now on the team. Hannah Stuelke will once again lead the charge, but Chazadi Wright's impact cannot be understated.

As part of the preseason rankings, ESPN looks at the projected starting lineup for each ranked team. Iowa's lineup sees Hannah Stuelke's 12.7 points per game lead the way. Wright, the Georgia Tech transfer, is right behind her with 7.2. From there, Kylie Feuerbach and Taylor McCabe both have 6.7 while Ava Heiden averaged 5.0 last season.

One of the most interesting parts of the rankings is the "biggest early-season game" section. Iowa is listed as No. 14 Iowa State's opponent on December 10, and they're listed against No. 16 Baylor on November 20.

In total, the Hawkeyes are set to play eight ranked teams this season. Their most difficult stretch is from January 18 to February 1. In that five-game span, Ohio State is the only non-ranked team they'll be playing. Three of those five games are on the road agaisnt No. 10 Maryland, No. 18 USC, and No. 3 UCLA. Plenty can change by that point in the season, but on paper, the B1G is once again a gauntlet.

Looking ahead, Iowa knows McKenna Woliczko is coming to town next season. If Jensen continues to build her foundation and racks up another winning season, things will continue to be on the rise for the Hawkeyes. Woliczko could be joined by Addison Bjorn, a fellow five-star recruit who has yet to make her decision. Either way, reinforcement is on the way.

Iowa's season begins on November 3 as they host Southern. They'll play three straight games at home before going on the road for their next three.

This article first appeared on Iowa Hawkeyes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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