UI Women’s Basketball release
10/19/21
The Associated Press released its women’s basketball preseason poll Tuesday, which includes the University of Iowa at No. 9 nationally.
The No. 9 ranking is Iowa’s highest preseason position in 25 years; the Hawkeyes were ranked No. 6 in the 1996-97 preseason poll.
Iowa, who last started a season ranked in the AP Poll in 2018-19 (No. 13), finished the 2020-21 season 20-10 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 at the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes tallied an 11-8 Big Ten record, and return nine letter winners, including all five starters — Caitlin Clark, Monika Czinano, Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin, and McKenna Warnock.
Clark was named National Co-Freshman of the Year, consensus All-American, the Dawn Staley Award recipient, Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and unanimous First Team All-Big Ten. She won her third gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2021 FIBA U119 World Cup and was named the tournament MVP. Czinano also earned first team All-Big Ten honors.
The pair led the nation in seven statistical categories, including Czinano ranking first in field-goal percentage, and Clark leading in points per game and total assists.
South Carolina is ranked No. 1 in the poll for the second consecutive season. UConn is No. 2. Defending national champion Stanford was third. Maryland and North Carolina State round out the top five. Two Big Ten teams have their best preseason ranking ever: Indiana is No. 8 and Michigan is No. 11. Iowa State is 12th.