Iowa Needs Hannah Stuelke to Return vs. Michigan

After winning their third straight, the Iowa Hawkeyes have some reflecting to do.

Sure, Iowa defeated Purdue, 83-74, but they struggled in the second half which nearly erased a picture perfect first 20 minutes.

One of the main reasons they struggled late was due to the lack of Hannah Stuelke. Iowa's senior forward was a late scratch which allowed Journey Houston to make her first career start.

Houston delivered in a big way, but that doesn't mean she'll be able to do the same against No. 6 Michigan. Stuelke has far more experience than most on this team, and Iowa desperately needs her back against the Wolverines.

Can Iowa Beat Michigan Without Stuelke?

BREAKING:

Hannah Stuelke (upper body) is OUT for tonight’s game against Purdue.

She is considered day-to-day and is hopeful to be back against Michigan on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/laC9ArDooy
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) February 19, 2026

Iowa found out they moved up to No. 13 after taking care of business against No. 25 Washington, but there's still quite a wide gap between them and Michigan.

At the time of writing, ESPN Analytics gives the Wolverines a 62.4% chance to win. Knowing this game is at Carver, that's a tough pill for Hawkeyes fans to swallow.

FOX plays host to this Top 15 matchup, one that will have a huge impact on the B1G. Had Iowa not dropped games to USC and Minnesota, things would be a lot different going into this one.

Either way, Iowa's chances of beating Michigan are quite slim without Stuelke in the picture. Analytics are already counting them out, so the last thing this team wants is another crucial blow that sets them back even further.

Hannah Stuelke's Presence Changes Everything

This is likely the play in which Stuelke got hurt (appeared to be left shoulder area, but she did return to the game later). pic.twitter.com/Pt6Zma3nTE
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) February 19, 2026

It's not like Michigan is the most experienced team in the world, but they'll be loving every second of it if they get to stare down an Iowa starting lineup with only one senior, three sophomores, and one freshman.

Even if Iowa is 10-0 when Taylor Stremlow starts, there's no one who brings as much to the table as Stuelke. Sometimes she gets forgotten about as Heiden continues to carry the load, but Stuelke used to play with Caitlin Clark and has National Championship experience.

As a freshman, Stuelke played 11 minutes in the 2023 National Championship game. The next year she played 27 and dropped 11 points, fresh off a 23 point performance against UConn in the Final Four.

Just having Stuelke on the floor changes everything. If Iowa wants to even think of pulling off an upset against Michigan, they need Stuelke to be back to 100% otherwise their chances are greatly diminished.

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