Jan Jensen and the Hawkeyes had a successful 2025-2026 campaign, but the offense is undergoing an overhaul.
With two dominant bigs, Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke, Jensen used a more post-heavy strategy, with two post players on the floor. With Hannah gone, Jensen has shifted the offense again, returning to a more familiar four-out, one-in offense. With that in mind, the Hawkeyes must improve their team three-point percentage, and one player in particular has been leading the way this offseason.
Taylor Stremlow has been lighting it up from deep during offseason practices
Iowa tailored its offense to support its two best players last season, but teams that shut down the paint shut down Iowa's offense. The Hawkeyes were streaky from long-distance last season, especially after senior Taylor McCabe went down with a season-ending injury. Chit-Chat Wright (44 percent) and McCabe (37.4 percent) were Iowa's two best three-point shooters, but the team shot 36.2 percent. With two of last season's top three-point shooters gone, Taylor Stremlow has clearly been working to be a more lethal long-range shooter.
Little nugget from Iowa WBB assistant coach LaSondra Barrett today: “Stremlow is our best 3-point shooter in practice right now, percentage-wise.”
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) October 14, 2026
Said she's outshooting Chit-Chat Wright from 3, which is something. Journey Houston been really good, too.
Stremlow was a solid three-point shooter last season, hitting 37.1 percent of her attempts, but with McCabe gone, she has clearly been working to improve. According to assistant coach LaSondra Barrett, Stremlow has been Iowa's best three-point shooter in practice, even out-shooting Chit-Chat. Chit-Chat was Iowa's best three-point shooter last season, but Iowa will need more weapons from beyond the arc. For the new offensive scheme to work, Iowa must knock down open perimeter shots to keep teams honest. That gives Heiden the space to do major damage inside and find open teammates when she is likely doubled.
Chit-Chat and Stremlow could be Iowa's two best perimeter shooters, but they will need Dani Carnegie, Amari Whiting, McKenna Woliczko, and Journey Houston to build around them. Carnegie shot a career-high 35.4 percent from deep last season, Whiting shot 32.1 percent with Oklahoma State, and Woliczko will be in her first season, but she has shown flashes at the amateur level. Houston was primarily a post player last season, but she also shot a respectable 36.4 percent from beyond the arc. Iowa has six new players this season, and while it's still too early to know who will crack the rotation, finding more three-point shooting is paramount.
Her teammates named Stremlow a captain for a reason, and she keeps improving her game every season. It is unclear whether she will start or come off the bench, but she will be heavily involved. With the transfers Jensen and the program brought in, the starting five could be Chit-Chat, Whiting, Carnegie, Woliczko, and Heiden, with Stremlow as the first bench option, but she could easily start at one of the guard or forward spots as well.
Whatever role she plays, Stremlow will put in the work to help the team however she can and lead by example. She has been in Jensen's system for all three years and has been through all the ups and downs the program has experienced. If the program makes a deep postseason run, Stremlow will play a big role.
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