Pressley Watkins and Brinley Altenburg, the 2027 duo, visiting Iowa Women’s Basketball for a weekend.
This past weekend, the future of Iowa women’s basketball may have entered Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes hosted two of the best 2027 combo guards, Brinley Altenburg and Pressley Watkins, as part of a trio of recruits in Iowa City. Their unofficial visits have Hawkeye supporters excited about what might happen next.
Building momentum for the upcoming recruiting cycle is something that head coach Jan Jensen and her staff are obviously not wasting any time with. Despite having different styles, Watkins and Altenburg, two up-and-coming players in the 2027 class, have one thing in common: a sophisticated sense of the game that is far beyond their years.
Texas native Watkins is renowned for her confident perimeter play and fluid handle. She is the type of guard who can read defenses quickly, control the tempo, and use a crossover to make defenders look foolish. Wisconsin native Altenburg has a harder, slashing style of play and enjoys attacking gaps, finishing through contact, and putting forth effort on both ends. Together, the two embody the type of adaptable backcourt that Iowa has grown to adore: intelligent, dynamic, and not scared to take the big shot.
This weekend was more than just laying out the red carpet for Iowa. It was about making a connection. These recruiting weekends give young athletes the opportunity to see how they would fit into a program’s core values, and they are as much about people as they are about basketball. This entails exploring the campus, getting to know current players, watching team film sessions, and perhaps even attending a practice to get a firsthand feel for the Hawkeye basketball rhythm.
This weekend was more than just laying out the red carpet for Iowa. It was about making a connection. These recruiting weekends give young athletes the opportunity to see how they would fit into a program’s core values, and they are as much about people as they are about basketball. This entails exploring the campus, getting to know current players, watching team film sessions, and perhaps even attending a practice to get a firsthand feel for the Hawkeye basketball rhythm.
And if Iowa has one advantage at the moment, it’s momentum. The Hawkeyes have emerged as one of the nation’s most prominent programs following consecutive deep NCAA Tournament runs and widespread recognition brought about by Caitlin Clark’s tenure. The team’s enthusiasm has changed rather than diminished. That’s precisely what makes the weekend.
The Hawkeyes have emerged as one of the nation’s most prominent programs following consecutive deep NCAA Tournament runs and widespread recognition brought about by Caitlin Clark’s tenure. as powerful as this one. Watkins and Altenburg, among others, grew up watching Iowa play happy, intelligent basketball, fill arenas, and make logo threes. They are now witnessing firsthand the inner workings of that culture.
Iowa’s strategy here is shrewd from a recruiting perspective. The staff can demonstrate chemistry between recruits and coaches as well as between players by hosting Watkins and Altenburg together. That has actual value. It fosters camaraderie and occasionally even ignites future teammate relationships when young prospects get to visit together. It’s a tactful yet effective tactic.
The weekend probably provided Watkins and Altenburg with clarity regarding their own futures as well as Iowa’s system. The big questions—Can I see myself here?—are addressed by these visits. Do I communicate with the coaching staff? Is this place familiar? Since both players are only sophomores, it is too soon to make any commitments, but these initial exchanges are significant. Relationships formed now frequently flourish later.
Make no mistake, these visits are what mold the next generation, even though the weekend might have seemed like just another phase in Iowa’s drawn-out recruiting process. The Hawkeyes might be sowing the seeds of their future great backcourt if Watkins and Altenburg were able to sense the magic of Iowa City—the culture, the passion, the belief.
