Ranking the Iowa Women's Basketball non-conference opponents

The Iowa Women’s Basketball season gets underway soon, with the Hawkeyes facing off against DePaul in the ‘Crossover at Kinnick’ on this coming Sunday. They will play a second exhibition game against Clarke University on October 22nd, with the season opener set for November 6th.

The non-conference portion of the schedule includes four teams that made the NCAA Tournament and four teams that made the WNIT last season. HawkeyeReport takes a look at the non-conference opponents for Lisa Bluder’s squad and ranks them from toughest to easiest.

1. vs Virginia Tech Hokies (Nov 9) (Charlotte, NC)

Talk about a marquee matchup to show you where you stand right off the bat. The Hawkeyes and Hokies is a matchup of two teams that made the Final Four in Dallas last season. Virginia Tech returns NPOY candidate center Elizabeth Kitley and First Team All-ACC guard Georgia Amoore. They also added a pair of honorable mention All-Big Ten performers in guard Matilda Ekh from Michigan State and forward Rose Micheaux from Minnesota. The second game of the season will be a measuring stick for Lisa Bluder’s squad.

2. vs Kansas State Wildcats (Nov 16)

The Wildcats were able to pull off the upset last year at Bramlage Coliseum and the Hawkeyes will be looking to avenge that loss at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It won’t be easy. Kansas State made it to the WNIT Super 16 and return four of five starters, including First Team All-Big 12 point guard Gabby Gregory. The big news for the ‘Cats is that they get back All-American center Ayoka Lee after she missed last year with an ACL tear. This KSU team is better than the one that won in Manhattan last year.

3. vs FGCU/Delaware and vs KSU/UNC/WKU/Vermont

Bear with me on this one. We don’t know how the Gulf Coast Showcase will play out, but there are plenty of decent teams that the Hawkeyes could potentially go up against. Their second round matchup is likely to be against a Florida Gulf Coast team that went 31-4 last season. The Eagles brought in six transfers, so that will be interesting to see.

Their final matchup of the weekend could come against a whole host of teams. Kansas State? North Carolina? Western Kentucky? Vermont? Two of those teams made the NCAA Tournament and two of them made the WNIT. The most likely matchup would be North Carolina who landed at #17 in the latest ESPN Preaseason rankings. If the Hawkeyes win the tournament it won’t be without a couple of resume building wins.

4. vs Drake Bulldogs (Nov 19)

This rivalry produced one of the best games of Iowa’s season last year. The Hawkeyes won 92-86 in overtime at the Knapp Center and the Bulldogs went on to make the NCAA Tournament. Now, Iowa will have a sold out crowd behind them at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Still, Drake returns three starters, including All-MVC guard Katie Dinnebier and forward Grace Berg.

5. at Iowa State Cyclones (Dec 6)

Normally, a trip to Hilton Coliseum would be one of the toughest games on the Hawkeyes schedule. However, this is a new look Cyclones team in Ames. They return just one starter and must find a way to replace Ashley Joens, Lexi Donarski and Stephanie Soares. They do bring in Sacramento State transfer center Isnelle Natabou, but Iowa should be a solid favorite even on the road.

6. at Northern Iowa Panthers (Nov 12)

Last time Iowa traveled to Cedar Falls in 2021, there were some late fireworks, with the UNI bench yelling at Caitlin Clark. The Hawkeyes won that one 82-61 and have won three in a row in the series by double digits. Northern Iowa made the WNIT last year and return First Team All-MVC forward Grace Boffeli, as well as Second Team All-MVC guard Maya McDermott. You never know in rivarly games, but Lisa Bluder has had her squad locked in for this game ever since they lost 88-66 in 2019.

7. vs Cleveland State Vikings (Dec 16) (Des Moines, IA)

This game will feature the Big Ten Player of the Year (Caitlin Clark) and the Horizon League Player of the Year (Destiny Leo). The Vikings point guard helped lead the team to a 30-5 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance last season. She is the only returning starter for Cleveland State, but they bring in three transfers, including All-MEAC forward Brooklynn Fort-Davis from Howard. Also noteworthy, this game will be at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

8. vs Bowling Green Falcons (Dec 2)

Another team that had a really good season last year, but is going to look different this year. The Falcons went 31-7 and made the WNIT Final Four, but they lose four of their top five scorers and will be breaking in a new head coach. Guard Morgan Sharps is the name to know here. She averaged in double figures last season for the Falcons. BGSU is 18-43 all-time against Big Ten opponents.

9. vs Purdue-Fort Wayne Mastadons (Nov 24) (Gulf Coast Showcase)

The Hawkeyes first round opponent in the Gulf Coast Showcase down in Estero, Florida. The Mastadons went 14-19 last season, but advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament. They are set to return all five starters, including leading scorers Amellia Bromenschenkel and Shayla Sellers. The Mastadons are 1-23 all-time against the Big Ten with their lone win coming against Michigan State in 2013. The Hawkeyes should advance to the semifinal round pretty comfortably.

10. vs Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (Nov 6)

The season opener for the Hawkeyes will come against an FDU squad that went 24-8 and made the WNIT last season. This year, the Knights lose all five starters and are in their first year under new head coach Stephanie Gaitley. It will be the first all-time meeting between the Hawkeyes and Knights.

11. vs Loyola-Chicago Ramblers (Dec 21)

Unfortunately, someone has to take the final spot in these rankings and it’s Loyola-Chicago. The Ramblers went just 6-24 last season, including a 1-15 mark in Atlantic 10 play. The Ramblers are set to return two starters, including senior forward Sitori Tanin, while they did add Second Team All-NEC forward Aaliyah Moore out of Saint Francis. Loyola-Chicago is just 2-34 all-time against ranked teams.