The Hawkeyes are gearing up for another Big Ten Title run, looking to capture their first title with Jan Jensen at the helm.
Iowa finished the regular season with a 24-5 (15-3 Big Ten) record and a two seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, and is waiting until day three of the tournament for its first game.
The Hawkeyes have injury concerns, with senior Taylor McCabe out for the season, and Emely Rodriguez still out with a back injury.
The injury report could also get longer as another key contributor has been dealing with an elbow injury that is worse than we thought.
Hannah Stuelke's elbow injury is "severe"
Star forward Hannah Stuelke has been one of Iowa's best players this season, but has dealt with multiple upper-body injuries over the past few weeks.
Stuelke took a hard shot to her elbow during Iowa's second-to-last regular-season game against Illinois, and did not play in the finale against Wisconsin.
Now we know why.
Jan Jensen says Hannah Stuelke’s elbow is severe. She hasn’t practiced. Range of motion isn’t great. Pretty swollen.
— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) March 4, 2026
“It’s a lot more than just pain tolerance.”
According to 247 Sports Hawkeye insider David Eickholt, Iowa head coach Jan Jensen said that Stuelke's elbow injury is severe, and she has not practiced recently.
Jensen also said her elbow is "pretty swollen," and she is dealing with more than just pain tolerance. She finished by saying it is "definitely concerning" moving forward.
This is upsetting news for a Hawkeye squad that was hitting its stride at the end of the season, with Stuelke playing a key role in Iowa's success.
Stuelke averaged 13.9 points and a team-leading 8.7 rebounds per game during the regular season and was named an All-Big Ten Second-Team selection.
If Stuelke can't suit up at any point during the Big Ten Tournament, look for freshman Journey Houston to play an expanded role.