The Iowa women’s basketball team will head into the 2023-24 season ranked third in the AP Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Poll behind reigning NCAA champion No. 1 LSU and No. 2 UConn, it was announced on Tuesday. 

The Hawkeyes received 780 points to be slotted in at the third spot in the preseason poll, with LSU receiving 899 points and UConn receiving 855. 

Five Big Ten teams appeared on the preseason poll, the other four being No. 7 Ohio State, No. 9 Indiana, No. 14 Maryland, and No. 23 Illinois. Nebraska received five points but did not crack the top 25.

The Hawkeyes compiled an overall record of 31-7 and a conference record of 15-3 last year as well as a final ranking of third in the AP Poll, going on to win the Big Ten Tournament for their fifth conference title in school history. 

They then appeared as the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, running all the way to the National Championship game, where they fell, 102-85, to LSU.

But Iowa lost both starting center Monika Czinano and forward McKenna Warnock to graduation. Third-year Addison O’Grady and second-year Hannah Stuelke will start in their respective absences.

The Hawkeyes will embark on their 2023-24 campaign with the lead of star fourth-year guard Caitlin Clark as well as fifth-year guard Gabbie Marshall, graduate student guard Kate Martin, and head coach Lisa Bluder. 

The Black and Gold will begin their season hosting Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 6 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City following an exhibition against Clarke University on Oct. 22.