After winning the Statement WBCA Showcase, Iowa makes a huge leap in the coaches’ poll. The WBCA Showcase in Orlando was the ideal early-season testing ground for Iowa women’s basketball, and the Hawkeyes made sure the nation took notice. Iowa jumped six spots in the most recent USA TODAY Sports women’s basketball coaches poll—the largest jump by any team this week—to No. 14 nationally after two tough, resume-boosting victories over ranked opponents.
The Hawkeyes had momentum at 6-0, but their victories over Miami and then-No. 10 Baylor elevated a solid start to something louder and much more convincing. It wasn’t just that Iowa won both games; it was also how they did it, relying on defensive poise, toughness, and the quick development of sophomore center Ava Heiden, who is becoming more and more of a national breakout star every week. Before Iowa even got back home, she received the USBWA National Player of the Week award.
Heiden put on two spectacular performances in Orlando, beginning with a dominant double-double in the team’s 57–52 victory over Baylor. With a team-high 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, the 6-foot-4 native of Sherwood, Oregon, led Iowa through a fierce defensive struggle. Although it was her third double-double of the year, this one felt different due to the higher stakes, increased attention, and obvious indication that she is turning into one of Iowa’s most dependable closers.
Miami required efficiency and poise, while Baylor was a test of strength. Both were delivered by Heiden. She had an incredible run of success in the first three quarters of Iowa’s 64-61 victory over the Hurricanes, making her first nine shots and going 9-for-9 from the field. She finished the afternoon with 20 points and six rebounds, dominating parts of the game with a cool-headedness that is starting to define her.
In other words, without Ava Heiden, Iowa cannot win the WBCA Showcase. However, the Hawkeyes’ rise in the coaches poll isn’t solely due to the rise of one star. The team’s collective identity—balanced scoring, tough defense, and a level of performance in crucial late-game situations that frequently distinguishes elite teams from ranked teams—is validated.
UConn, the reigning national champion, maintained its position at the top of the poll this week, followed by South Carolina, UCLA, Texas, LSU, and Maryland. Six teams—No. 3 UCLA, No. 6 Maryland, No. 9 Michigan, No. 18 USC, No. 21 Michigan State, and No. 23 Washington—are ranked in the Big Ten, demonstrating its continued remarkable depth. The league is strong from top to bottom, as evidenced by the votes cast for Ohio State, Nebraska, and Oregon.
In addition to being the biggest move of the week, Iowa’s jump from No. 20 to No. 14 is noteworthy because it shows that national coaches believe the young Hawkeyes team is developing quickly. This was not an exceptional weekend. Iowa had already established an effective offense, won in a variety of ways, and started the season undefeated. The Showcase victories merely solidified what was beginning to take shape: a team that could contend with and defeat elite programs.
Additionally, it supports Iowa’s post-stars trajectory. The Hawkeyes continue to develop players who confidently take on major roles, even after losing well-known players in recent seasons. There is more to Heiden’s early-season success than meets the eye. It results from a system that empowers each player who touches the floor, confidence in the coach, and poise under duress.
Additionally, there’s a growing perception that Iowa is playing with both purpose and freedom. Teams that go undefeated early in the season—especially when those victories are of high quality—become anchors later on. At the national level, they have an impact on seeding, give younger players a sense of belonging, and boost confidence. For the Hawkeyes, the Showcase was precisely that kind of occasion.
This is reflected in the updated poll, which places Iowa just behind an undefeated Ole Miss team at No. 13 and ahead of Baylor, which dropped six spots to No. 16. If the Hawkeyes keep up their current pace, they have a genuine chance to rise even higher because the gap between these mid-teen teams is narrow and flexible. Iowa will continue to be put to the test as the season goes on, both by the demanding Big Ten schedule and the target that comes with national attention.
For now, though, the narrative is straightforward: the Hawkeyes traveled to Orlando, defeated two formidable opponents, and returned home appearing to be a team prepared for much more significant discussions. Everyone else is now taking notice because of their largest poll increase of the season thus far.
