Stay hot, Jan Jensen!
Iowa women's basketball is cooking on the recruiting trail recently, remaining in the mix for multiple talented prospects in the 2027 recruiting class. Most of the top ten recruits in the class have yet to commit, making this fall even more important for the Hawkeyes, as well as most other programs around the country. The Hawkeyes have one recruit already secured in the 2027 class (Jada Seubert) and made the final six for talented forward prospect Sienna Williams.
The good news from the recruiting trail didn't stop there after a top 10 prospect in the 2027 class released her final five destinations.
2027 top-10 prospect Nation Williams has Iowa in her final five
February was a big recruiting month for Iowa, with nine targets in attendance for a huge showdown with the Michigan Wolverines. The Hawkeyes knocked off the Wolverines in front of a sold-out Carver-Hawkeye crowd, making a solid impression on multiple top targets. One of those targets was highly coveted forward prospect Nation Williams, and she continues to keep the program on her radar after the visit.
NEWS: Nation Williams, a five-star prospect in the class of 2027, has narrowed her list to five schools and has set four additional visits.
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) July 24, 2026
Williams has already completed an official visit to Iowa.
Story with dates: https://t.co/X5qY7BgReU pic.twitter.com/0pEdrYsCEA
Williams is a five-star prospect and the No. 10 overall prospect in the 2027 class according to Rivals, and the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2027 class according to 247Sports. She is the consensus No. 1 overall prospect from Nevada and is one of the top forwards in the class. Williams made an official visit to Iowa City in February, and she was so impressed by the program that she put Iowa in her top 10. Five months later, Williams announced he final five, including Duke, Iowa, Notre Dame, and UCLA, with four official visits scheduled later this fall.
Williams' potential commitment to the program would not only give the program its third consecutive recruiting cycle adding a five-star prospect, but also give them some much-needed size and one of the top players in the class. Brandon Clay, 247Sports director of scouting, called Williams "one of the country's biggest interior threats," and that is no surprise given her family history. Her mother, Natalie Williams, is a Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and is the current general manager of the Las Vegas Aces.
Williams is a prolific scorer in the paint and even though she doesn't provide much outside shooting, she can knock down mid-range shots and uses her size and strength in the paint to be an effective scorer down low. She has a similar game to current Iowa center Ava Heiden, but she is a little more athletic with better range.
Williams' size and strength down low is a must-get for Iowa
After a more spread-out offensive style in Jan Jensen's first season as head coach, she transitioned to a post-focused offense last season to better accommodate her two best players. Ava Heiden and Hanna Stuelke were Iowa's two clear first options last season, prompting Jensen to favor a two-big lineup. Stuelke graduated after last season, and with Iowa's lack of interior size and having more wing depth, she shifted back to the more familiar four-out one-in offense.
If the Hawkeyes win a massive recruiting battle for Nation Williams, Jensen might have to change her offensive scheme once again. Versatile forward McKenna Woliczko was Iowa's big prize from the 2026 recruiting class, and she can play multiple positions on the court. With Williams in the frontcourt, Jensen would have to shift back to a two-big offense to accommodate Williams, because she can make an immediate impact. She is a rebounding machine and powerhouse in the paint, and the Hawkeyes could easily have a big lineup with Woliczko (six-foot-two) at the forward, Williams (six-foot-three), and Heiden (six-foot-five) at the center.
It creates a unique scenario for Jensen, who could employ an extremely big lineup, similar to what UCLA ran last season during the National Championship-winning campaign. The best-case scenario is if Williams develops a consistent long-range shot, or at least keeps teams honest. Then she could either spread the floor or create shooting lanes for Woliczko and the other guards. Any way you slice it, Williams would be a huge get for the program, and it is great news that they made her final five list of preferred destinations.
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