The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball program is yearning for the opportunity to get back on the court this year.
After an early exit in the 2026 NCAA Women’s Tournament, which saw Iowa go home in the Round of 32 despite earning rights as a host site, this team has high hopes for the 2026-27 season.
This year marks the third year of Jan Jensen as the head coach, and some quiet pressure is mounting on her to take Iowa on a deeper NCAA Tournament run after two years in a row of missing the Sweet 16.
With the schedule still in the works, Iowa now knows its season-opening opponent when this year’s campaign gets underway.
Iowa set to open against Towson
Iowa’s season will begin on Monday, November 2, from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, when the Hawkeyes welcome the Towson Tigers to town.
Towson, a program residing in the CAA, is coming off a 17-14 season last year, which featured a respectable 10-8 mark in conference play.
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Iowa and Towson have met just once before. The two programs met in 2019 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as part of the Puerto Rico Clasico. Iowa won 100-72 on the shoulders of a 29-point performance from Makenzie Meyer.
This game comes after the news that Iowa will play the Vanderbilt Commodores in a high-profile non-conference game from Sioux City, Iowa, that will provide an early-season measuring stick for Iowa.
These matchups are chances for Iowa to come together before Big Ten play starts, which features a favorable conference slate for the Hawkeyes with fortunate home and away draws.
Iowa can get new faces into the action in its opener
Barring something weird happening, this game against Towson should present the Hawkeyes with a great opportunity to get a lot of players into the action.
Iowa sees a new roster this year that includes a handful of transfers and a strong recruiting class, headlined by the addition of five-star wing McKenna Woliczko.
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Jan Jensen and her staff need opportunities to blend rotations together. With the departures of talented veterans, there is a sense of urgency to perform and keep Iowa as part of the national women’s college basketball landscape.
Lastly, and certainly not least, this game is a great chance for Iowa fans to pack Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The football program hosts the Wisconsin Badgers two days before at Kinnick Stadium, so why not keep the good times rolling with hoops season getting underway?
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/iowa as Iowa Women’s Basketball 2026-27 Season Opener Offers Chance to Start Strong.
