Iowa's 2025-2026 season did not end the way anyone wanted, and that, coupled with expanded NIL opportunities, led to heavy turnover in the program.
Nine players from last season's squad left the program: four graduated and five entered the transfer portal. This is nothing new in college athletics, with no penalties for transferring and tons of lucrative deals. However, until this offseason, Iowa has been excellent at maintaining players and minimizing roster turnover.
With the roster currently at 11 players, Jan Jesnen and the program are likely done adding to this year's roster, but they still have some areas that need to be addressed, with a heavy importance on how the 2027 class can help.
No. 1: Size
Iowa was already thin on the interior last season, with Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke both in the starting lineup. Freshman Layla Hays was the only reserve size the Hawkeyes had, and she experienced a lot of growing pains in her first season of college basketball.
Journey Houston was a pleasant surprise for the squad, as she became one of Jensen's go-to reserves off the bench last season. Houston came to the program as a big guard or forward prospect, but out of necessity, she played a lot of minutes in the paint at one of the forward spots.
She gave the Hawkeyes great energy and rebounding off the bench, but size remains a major concern for the program. McKenna Woliczko is projected to be the starting power forward for the program, and behind her are only Hays (six-foot-five) and transfer Jocelyn Faison (six-foot-one), who has primarily
Woliczko could play a small-ball center in a pinch due to her rebounding and pass abilities, but if Hays struggles or is ineffective, there is not a lot of depth on the interior.
No.2: Perimeter shooting
Iowa's lack of consistent perimeter shooting was exposed by Fairleigh Dickinson during the NCAA Tournament last season, and ultimately got them bounced early.
After Taylor McCabe suffered season-ending ACL/meniscus injuries, Iowa's perimeter shooting fell off a cliff, and that can't continue if the program wants to be successful in the future. Chit-Chat Wright stepped up big time in McCabe's absence, knocking down 44 percent of her three-point attempts last season, but with McCabe, Addie Deal, and Kylie Feuerbach gone, they need some help.
Houston has been diligently working on her shooting range this season and could take the next step, but that is still up in the air. Transfer Dani Carnegie (35.4 percent) was serviceable last season, leaving Chit-Chat as Iowa's only consistent long-ranger shooter.
D-III transfer Bria Medina could fill that role, but it remains to be seen if her scoring prowess will carry over to Division I, and they only have her for one season. Iowa does have sharpshooting guard Jada Seubert committed in the 2027 class, but there is still a need for more perimeter shooting.
No. 3: PG depth
Chit-Chat had a solid year as Iowa's lead guard last season in her first season in that role, but she struggled with turnovers and was not aggressive enough when the offense needed her to be. She is still a very viable option, but her size became an issue, and behind her, Iowa only has a lot of combo or off-guards.
Carnegie, Amari Whiting, Taylor Stremlow, and Bria Medina will all be vying for playing time at one of the guard spots next season, but the program lacks a true backup point guard. Plus, Whiting and Medina have only one year of eligibility left.
Iowa managed only one recruit in the 2026 class (McKenna Woliczko) and currently has none in the 2027 class. A big area of need for the program is another starting-caliber point guard or more depth at the position, and the 2027 class has no shortage of them.
Of Iowa's nine current offers to 2027 prospects, three are to guards, but only one is to a point guard (Kaleena Smith). It is still early in the recruitment process for the 2027 class, but Jensen and Co. need to focus on finding some lead-guard depth if they want to succeed in the future.
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