Iowa Fails To Crack Top 10 In Latest AP Poll

Currently 9-0, head coach Jan Jensen learned that her team is now ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll. The Iowa Hawkeyes have been bouncing back and forth between No. 11 and No. 12 as this week they once again swapped places with North Carolina.

Sitting at No 11, all eyes will be on the upcoming Cy-Hawk rivalry game. Iowa State is ranked No. 10, so a win for the Hawkeyes would be their biggest since taking down No. 7 Baylor. Ranked wins matter, and it's only a matter of time before Iowa cracks the Top 10.

Iowa Reclaims No. 11 Spot In AP Poll

This week's AP Top 25 is out. Iowa is up to No. 11 but the top 10 remained the same. https://t.co/J144WmOd1o
— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 8, 2025

In the last few weeks, Iowa has gone from No. 11 to No. 12 and they're now back at No. 11. The Tar Heels 15 point loss to Texas did them no favors, but they followed it up with a stellar 42 point victory over Boston University. Now, things get tough as both Iowa and UNC are set to do battle with ranked opponents.

For Iowa to find their way into the Top 10, they cannot fall to the Cyclones. Even though they have to go to Iowa State for this game, Iowa already has a pair of quality wins under their belt against Baylor and Miami. Those were at a neutral site, but it's worth noting they just made history with a dominant win in New Jersey against Rutgers.

Until they play teams like Maryland and UCLA later in the year, this Iowa State game is undoubtedly their toughest road test of the season. Iowa is slated to play at No. 7 Maryland on January 22 and at No. 4 UCLA on February 1, but those games are still quite a ways away. The team in front of them is Iowa State, and that's a win that should get them into the Top 10.

Iowa vs. Iowa State Showdown

Houston… she’s a 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺. @Journey_Renae x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/d14sTCF0cr
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) December 8, 2025

For what it's worth, none of the teams ranked 1-10 moved. They all kept the exact same ranking, but now things are getting interesting. No. 1 UConn is facing No. 16 USC, No. 2 Texas plays No. 13 Baylor, and No. 9 Oklahoma faces No. 23 Oklahoma State in three games that could shake up the rankings. Obviously, the Cy-Hawk rivalry game is the fourth.

Things could look much different in next week's AP Poll, and Iowa knows now is their best chance to climb their way up the ladder. A loss to the Cyclones likely wouldn't drop them too much in the rankings, especially since they'll have a chance to get back on track against Lindenwood on December 13.

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