To say the Iowa Women's Basketball program has high expectations in Jan Jensen's second year as head coach might be an understatement.
Ever since the famed "Caitlin Clark Era," more eyes and higher expectations have been on the program.
Before the season begins, Jensen spoke to the media during the 2025 Media Days and was quick to thank the fans for their continued support.
Tickets for home games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena have sold out for the third consecutive year, and Jensen credits the fanbase for being with them every step of the way.
The Iowa team is young, with nine of the 14 players on the roster being freshmen or sophomores, but the squad is receiving high praise.
Some rankings have the squad starting the season in the top 25, but all the expectations do not scare Jensen and her staff.
Jensen spoke to the media for nearly 30 minutes, and here are three big takeaways from what she had to say.
Patience is the name of the game
Jensen knows her team is young, but she describes this season as one of the most interesting they have had in a long time.
With nine of 14 players being underclassmen, the Hawkeyes have the youngest team they have had since 2012.
They are young, but the expectations remain high after the recent success of the program.
With such a young team, steps must be taken to ensure future success while maintaining a high level of play this season.
The squad might not look like what they want to be early, but they need to stay the course to get there before the start of Big Ten Conference play.
Jensen reiterated multiple times that "patience rules the day."
Recruiting has become more of a national effort
The "Caitlin Clark Era" was mentioned numerous times during Jensen's time at the podium, and she noted that Clark's presence brought the program more national attention.
Jensen stated that Clark put Iowa on a lot more televisions and in a lot more news stories around the same time that the Big Ten Conference was expanding.
That gave the program a bigger window to sign high-caliber prospects outside of the Midwest, and they have seized on that opportunity.
The Hawkeyes brought in Addie Deal from California, Layla Hayes from Alaska, Emely Rodriguez from the Dominican Republic, and Ava Heiden from Oregon, all within the past few years.
Jensen acknowledged that they have branched out more recently, but players from the Midwest will always be the core of the program.
Embracing the expectations
Jensen knows the expectations are high, but she welcomes them.
Jensen returned to what former Head Coach Lisa Bluder would tell her players: "Pressure is a privilege." Jensen would rather have those high expectations than not have anyone care.
It is hard to maintain a culture similar to the one the Iowa Women's Basketball program has cultivated over the years. Still, the hardest part is making people truly understand how challenging it is to maintain success.
Everyone in the Iowa program has tasted success and want more of it.
The 2025-2026 college basketball season is right around the corner as the Hawkeyes prepare for their first game on October 30 in an exhibition with Ashland.