Jan Jensen has won several major battles on the recruiting trail and is well positioned to win another.
The Hawkeyes locked up two very talented prospects in the 2027 class, including sharpshooter Jada Seubert, and recently added talented South Carolina big Khalia Hartwell. The program has been very active on the recruiting trail and has used an aggressive approach to stay in the mix with multiple prospects. With the 2027 class in great shape, Jensen and the program have turned their attention to the 2028 class and are reportedly hosting a top prospect this weekend.
Ella Peper is reportedly in Iowa City on an unofficial visit
The Hawkeyes have been aggressive early in the 2028 class's recruitment process, with nine offers already. Every prospect the Hawkeyes have offered in the class is currently ranked in the top 25 overall, and the strategy is clear. The program is actively trying to add more frontcourt depth, with 7 of the 9 offers going to bigs. Ella Peper is one of the talented prospects Iowa has offered, and she has been on the program's radar for a while. The Hawkeyes offered Peper in July 2025, and she is reportedly on campus this weekend.
Big-time Iowa WBB visitor on campus today, per source: 6-4 Ella Peper, the #6 overall prospect in the class of 2028, is in Iowa City for an unofficial. She is a "stretch 4" from Brookline, Mass. (That's a really tall wing!)
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) October 23, 2026
According to the Des Moines Register's Chad Leistikow, Peper is in Iowa City on an unofficial visit and is currently ranked as the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2028 class. She could easily continue Iowa's run of signing five-star prospects, and as a six-foot-four "stretch four," she brings a lot to the table. Peper's ability has caught the eye of multiple big-time programs, and Iowa has been staying active in her recruitment since last summer.
Peper is a versatile athlete who glides down the floor, can handle the basketball, and is a multi-level scorer. She attended USA Team Trials last year, and reports claimed she can dunk a tennis ball with ease. That suggests elite athleticism and would be an excellent addition to the roster. She has a similar skill set to current Iowa stretch forward McKenna Woliczko, but she is slightly taller. Iowa's offense would wreak havoc on the Big Ten with two skilled stretch fours on the court at the same time, and they are laying the early groundwork to get Peper to Iowa City.
After losing nine last season, Iowa was forced to add multiple players from the transfer portal, and adding more players from the recruiting trail to develop in the system is never a bad thing. Jensen and the program are doing everything right to get Peper to Iowa City, and hopefully it pays off.
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