Predicting Iowa Women's Basketball's Record in the Nonconference Schedule

The Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team is reloading with talent ahead of the 2026-27 season, and we finally know who they are going to be taking on and when during the nonconference schedule.

The Hawkeyes have their hands full with a trio of elite opponents in UConn, Vanderbilt, and Iowa State, but should get through this stretch run before Big Ten play begins in a good spot.

The nonconference schedule you've been waiting for. 🐤 pic.twitter.com/CjL6AoByN6
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) August 25, 2026

Wins

Opponents: Towson, Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Montana State, Drake, Southern, Northern Illinois

I know it may sound blunt, but this is a stretch of games where Iowa not only needs to win every single one of them, but they need to find out who plays well with who and work through rotations.

These games are when the transfers mesh, McKenna Woliczko gets her feet underneath her at the college level, and the returning talents find their groove. These are very winnable games, and any losses here are going to be a brutal resume blemish later on in the year.

Potential Losses

Opponents: UConn

Let's call a spade a spade here. UConn is going to be loaded once again entering the 2026-27 season, but when aren't they? This program has been built into a machine that runs itself.

I do think Iowa can keep this game close, with it being so early in the year, but the road atmosphere, which is in the same category as Iowa's home games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, is too much for the Hawkeyes at this point in the season as they continue to grow.

Toss-Ups

Opponents: Vanderbilt, Iowa State, Baha Mar Event (x2)

Starting with the Baha Mar event, we simply don't know the other teams at this point, so giving any sort of prediction there would be impossible.

As for the games versus Vanderbilt and Iowa State, I put them as toss-ups, but they are two games Iowa has an advantage heading into. Iowa State was hit hard by the transfer portal, which tilts this to Iowa, especially at home. It's no lock, though. It's the Cy-Hawk. Weird things can happen.

Vanderbilt was an NCAA Tournament team last year. This is a sneaky tough test for the Hawkeyes. Iowa does get it in Sioux City, but this is a game where, if not prepared, the Commodores could come to town looking to pick up a massive road win against a quality opponent, serving as a resume-building opportunity.

Record Prediction

We have seven wins up top. UConn is a loss at this point for me. For the sake of the toss-ups, give me a 3-1 record from this team coming out of the Baha Mar, Vanderbilt, and Iowa State.

That puts the Hawkeyes with a 10-2 mark in the nonconference slate, before entering Big Ten play. Is that a success? I think it'd be hard to argue it isn't.

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