Way-Too-Early Starting Lineup Projection for Iowa WBB in 2026-27

With the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball season over, it’s time to look toward the future. The 2026-27 campaign should provide the Hawkeyes and head coach Jan Jensen with a fantastic opportunity to build on this past season.

Even though it ended prematurely, the vast majority of pieces on the roster that were a part of it should be sticking around for the long haul.

Of course, projecting Iowa’s starting lineup on March 25 is no easy task (hence the “way-too-early” disclaimer), but let’s dive into it anyway.

This group is, of course, subject to change for a variety of reasons — most notably the transfer portal and incoming freshmen. For the sake of this exercise, though, the focus will remain primarily on players currently on the roster.

Iowa Has Plenty of Options at Guard

Chazadi Wrigh — Iowa guard Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright (11) brings the ball up court against the Virginia Cavaliers March 23, 2026 during a Round of 32 NCAA March Madness game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Hawkeyes will have several great options for their two guard spots, though it’s reasonable to guess that Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright and Taylor Stremlow will start Iowa’s first game of the season.

Both players, Wright especially, had great 2025-26 seasons. Wright finished third on the team in scoring with 12.5 points, while Stremlow contributed 7.9 off the bench. If both Wright and Stremlow can elevate their performances next year, then Iowa’s guard play would reach another level.

Other alternatives include freshman guards Journey Houston and Addie Deal. Both players appeared in all 34 games and contributed a fair amount off the bench. Should Jensen see the potential, there’s a chance that one of the two could join Wright, who’s almost a lock to start next season.

Heiden is the Anchor of the Starting Five

Iowa Hawkeyes center Ava Heiden (5) celebrates Friday, March 6, 2026, during a Big Ten women's basketball tournament game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. | Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ava Heiden is going to be Iowa’s starting center once autumn rolls around. There are no ifs, ands or buts about that. She averaged a team-high 18 points and also collected 7.2 rebounds. She was a machine on the defensive end, too. There’s no doubt that she’s the star of this roster. The Hawkeyes are grateful that she’s coming back for another year in Iowa City.

But who’s going to operate in the frontcourt alongside her? Hannah Stuelke was the stalwart on the interior with Heiden this past season, but she’s out of eligibility and is moving on to the professional ranks. As things currently stand, there’s no great option on the roster, meaning Jensen could look to the transfer portal to fill this gap.

The same principle applies to the other forward spot in the lineup. Could Iowa utilize a three-guard lineup? Based on the present situation, that could be the case. If so, then watch for one of the guards mentioned above to enter the lineup, too.

In the end, projecting Iowa’s starting five for next season at this stage of the offseason is a hard endeavor. So much can change over the next several months, after all. We’ll all just have to wait and see how it plays out.

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