Iowa Women's Basketball Unveils Full Big Ten Schedule for 2026-27 Season
The Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team now knows exactly what it will face in the 2026-27 season. The Big Ten Conference released the full league schedule on Wednesday, completing Iowa's slate with marquee home games against national powers and a challenging West Coast road trip.
Head coach Jan Jensen expressed excitement about the gauntlet ahead.
“The Big Ten is a tough league, and any way you slice the schedule, it's going to be challenging,” Jensen said. “There are a lot of great coaches and great teams. If you're fortunate enough to do well, you've earned it. It makes me excited for the challenge.”
Hawkeyes Open Conference Play at Home Against Nebraska
Iowa kicks off its Big Ten campaign by hosting rival Nebraska at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Dec. 5. It marks the first time the Hawkeyes have opened conference play at home since the 2021-22 season, giving Iowa fans an early chance to pack the arena for a border-state showdown.
Marquee Matchups Highlight the Slate
The conference schedule features several can't-miss games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. On Feb. 11, the Hawkeyes host JuJu Watkins and USC, followed three days later by a visit from the defending national champion UCLA Bruins on Feb. 14.
Iowa also travels to Michigan State on New Year's Day, a tough early test to open 2027 on the road.
West Coast Trip Presents Unique Challenge
The Hawkeyes will make a two-game swing out west, facing Oregon on Jan. 24 and Washington on Jan. 27. Jensen acknowledged the difficulty of those trips but noted the team has experience with them.
“Anytime you go west, it's challenging because it's out of the normal routine,” Jensen said. “We did the Oregon-Washington swing two years ago and the Los Angeles swing last year, so now we know what to expect. I've made some notes on what I'd like to try differently so we can be as refreshed as possible and be as successful as we can while we're out there.”
Regular Season Finale Sets Up Big Finish
Iowa's final home game of the regular season comes against Maryland on Feb. 25. The Hawkeyes then close out the regular season by visiting Ohio State on Feb. 28, a fittingly difficult finish in a loaded conference.
Television designations and tipoff times will be announced at a later date. The Big Ten slate completes Iowa's full 2026-27 schedule, which includes nonconference tests against UConn, Iowa State, and Drake.
Full Iowa Women's Basketball 2026-27 Schedule
- Thursday, Oct. 29: vs. Maryville (exhibition)
- Monday, Nov. 2: vs. Towson
- Thursday, Nov. 5: vs. Eastern Illinois
- Sunday, Nov. 8: at UConn
- Thursday, Nov. 12: vs. Northern Iowa
- Sunday, Nov. 15: vs. Vanderbilt (Sioux City)
- Thursday, Nov. 19: vs. Montana State
- Monday, Nov. 23: vs. Utah (Baha Mar Hoops Tournament)
- Wednesday, Nov. 25: vs. Navy (Baha Mar Hoops Tournament)
- Tuesday, Dec. 1: at Drake
- Saturday, Dec. 5: vs. Nebraska
- Wednesday, Dec. 9: vs. Iowa State
- Sunday, Dec. 13: vs. Southern
- Sunday, Dec. 20: vs. Northern Illinois
- Tuesday, Dec. 29: at Illinois
- Friday, Jan. 1: at Michigan State
- Tuesday, Jan. 5: vs. Rutgers
- Saturday, Jan. 9: at Minnesota
- Thursday, Jan. 14: vs. Northwestern
- Sunday, Jan. 17: vs. Indiana
- Sunday, Jan. 24: at Oregon
- Wednesday, Jan. 27: at Washington
- Sunday, Jan. 31: vs. Wisconsin
- Thursday, Feb. 4: at Nebraska
- Sunday, Feb. 7: at Michigan
- Thursday, Feb. 11: vs. USC
- Sunday, Feb. 14: vs. UCLA
- Thursday, Feb. 18: at Penn State
- Sunday, Feb. 21: vs. Purdue
- Thursday, Feb. 25: vs. Maryland
- Sunday, Feb. 28: at Ohio State
What This Means for Iowa Fans
With a mix of marquee home games, a challenging road slate, and a New Year's Day clash, the Hawkeyes will have plenty of opportunities to prove themselves in one of the nation's toughest conferences. Iowa fans should circle Dec. 5, Feb. 11, and Feb. 14 as key dates to fill Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire.