Iowa will head into the 2025-26 women’s college basketball season coming off a 23-11 record (10-8 Big Ten), marking their seventh consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. This was also their ninth straight tournament where they secured a No. 6 seed or higher. They defeated 11th-seeded Murray State but were eliminated by the host team, No. 3 seed Oklahoma.
With the departures of guards Lucy Olsen and Sydney Affolter, along with center Addison O’Grady—who started 18 games last season and played in 136 throughout her career—Iowa is looking to fill those gaps. To do so, they have brought in two players from the transfer portal in addition to their 2025 recruiting class. Now that the roster for next season is set, let’s take a look at a projected starting lineup and rotation.
Iowa women’s basketball projected starting lineup
Chazadi ‘Chit-Chat’ Wright, 5-foot-4, Point Guard
Iowa bolstered its backcourt by adding its first transfer portal player, signing guard Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright from Georgia Tech. The 5-foot-4 freshman started 12 games and played in all 33 last season, averaging 7.2 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 37.1% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc, and 88.6% from the free-throw line.
According to ESPN, Wright was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class, ranked as the No. 49 player in the nation. With both Lucy Olsen and Aaliyah Guyton leaving the program, Iowa was in need of a reliable point guard, and they found that in Wright. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Wright will have three years of eligibility remaining.
Addie Deal, 6-foot, Guard
Addie Deal, a five-star recruit and a member of the McDonald’s All-American Team, had an impressive senior season, averaging 19.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 3.4 steals per game.
A graduate of Mater Dei High School in California, she was ranked as the No. 23 player in the nation for the 2025 class by ESPN. While she has the capability to take on point guard responsibilities if needed, Deal will initially play off the ball due to Wright’s arrival.
Emely Rodriguez, 6-foot, Small Forward
Emely Rodriguez earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team last season at UCF, where she averaged 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. She shot 40.9% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc, and 75.3% from the free-throw line.
Standing at 6 feet tall, this guard-forward can dribble, drive to the basket, and shoot from long range. Rodriguez is poised to be a natural successor to Affolter, although the Dominican Republic native will need to improve her three-point shooting. Nevertheless, she possesses the skills to rebound and score effectively from multiple levels.
Hannah Stuelke, 6-foot-2, Forward
Hannah Stuelke has been a vital player for Iowa over the past three seasons, and she will now be expected to provide senior leadership and consistent performance. Standing 6-foot-2, she needs to enhance her game for Iowa to reach its full potential.
Last season, Stuelke received All-Big Ten second-team recognition from the media, averaging 12.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game with a shooting percentage of 49.8% and a free throw rate of 67.5%. Throughout her Hawkeye career, the Cedar Rapids native has recorded 61 games with double-digit scoring, including 11 double-doubles and 10 games scoring 20 points or more.
Her field goal percentage last season dropped by over 10 points compared to her first two years, likely due to the absence of Caitlin Clark, who had previously helped create easier scoring opportunities for her inside and in transition.
With one season now behind her without Clark, Stuelke will look to find those easier baskets again with Deal and Wright facilitating the offense.
Ava Heiden, 6-foot-4, Center
The Sherwood, Oregon, native showed great promise for her future during her freshman year, highlighted by a series of standout performances at the end of the season.
Heiden scored 11 and 10 points in the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten Tournament matches against Michigan State and Ohio State, respectively. She then excelled in Iowa’s NCAA Tournament debut, scoring 15 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
Last season, Heiden appeared in 28 games, averaging 5.0 points and 2.6 rebounds per game while shooting 56.1% from the field and 70.5% from the free-throw line.
Iowa women’s basketball bench, rotation
Journey Houston, 5-foot-11, Guard
Can Journey Houston make an immediate impact? The 5-foot-11 guard from Davenport North was among the top-rated players in the 2025 class until a knee injury cut short the last half of her junior year and her AAU season.
Iowa will need an additional ball-handler beyond Deal or Wright. Could Houston become that third option for the Hawkeyes’ second unit?
It’s likely that either Deal or Wright will play with Iowa’s second team at some point, but having another ball-handler to give both of them a rest simultaneously would allow Iowa to confidently start Deal and Wright together.
Kylie Feuerbach, 6-foot, Guard
Kylie Feuerbach’s decision to return to the Hawkeyes is a significant boost for Jan Jensen and the team. As a starter for the past two seasons, Feuerbach has been a key defensive player, leading the Hawkeyes with 43 steals last year.
If Feuerbach is open to taking on a different role, it could aid Iowa in competing for a top spot in the Big Ten again. Given that she has started 58 games in the last two seasons, it wouldn’t be surprising if coach Jensen keeps her in the starting lineup.
However, if Feuerbach transitions to the second unit, her defense and scoring would contribute to creating one of the best bench units in the Big Ten.
Taylor McCabe, 5-foot-9, Guard
The sharpshooter started 19 games last season and has appeared in 85 throughout her career. Taylor McCabe has recorded 10 games in which she hit four or more 3-pointers and 17 games where she made three or more.
Standing at 5-foot-9, the guard averaged 6.7 points per game last season and achieved a shooting percentage of 40.5% from beyond the arc.
Taylor Stremlow, 5-foot-10, Guard
Taylor Stremlow started two games and played in 32 during her freshman year in Iowa City. The native of Verona, Wisconsin, achieved a career-high of 10 points and made two 3-pointers in the Hawkeyes’ NCAA Tournament victory against Murray State.
Stremlow averaged 2.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, shooting 46.3% from the field and 30.8% from beyond the arc.
Teagan Mallegni, 6-foot-1, Guard
Teagan Mallegni recently completed her freshman season, during which she averaged 3.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of 34.4% from the field. The 6-foot-1 guard will need to improve her 3-point shooting, currently at 22.8%, but she did successfully hit at least two 3-pointers in three games.
The McFarland, Wisconsin native recorded a career-high of 13 points in a game against Drake last November.
Layla Hays, 6-foot-5, Center
Layla Hays was a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 71 player in the nation by ESPN. Hailing from Wasilla, Alaska, she averaged 16.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game during her junior year.
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