After a disappointing 10-22 campaign in 2024-25, the Hawkeyes are once again setting up for another season where the program aims to increase turnout and maximize results.
Iowa began 2024 on a positive note, winning four of their first five games. The Hawkeyes went 2-0 in San Juan for the Puerto Rico Clasico, including a sweep over Liberty. Despite this strong start, injuries hampered the program and led to several major losses, with Iowa finishing 4-16 in Big Ten play.
“We had some injuries and things that stopped us from coming close to our potential,” fourth-year head coach Jim Barnes said. “I think what we learned last season is going to set up what’s going to happen this year.”
The Hawkeyes will begin 2025-26 with a healthy roster, increased emphasis on prehabilitation, and several new additions to round out the lineup.
“There’s never going to be a perfect season,” sixth-year Chard’e Vanzandt, an outside hitter and transfer from Chattanooga, said. “You’re going to go through something, and you see that with a lot of successful programs.”
Iowa is doing their part to remain optimistic and committed to working through setbacks, not letting them serve as a blow to momentum.
“I think we’ve already started out with the mentality of no matter what we go through, we’re going to come back the next day and work harder to try to get those wins under our belt,” Vanzandt said. “I think the wins are going to come because the mentality that the group of girls have this year is going to carry us very far.”
Third-year Hannah Whittingstall, a Texas native who started her career at Southern Methodist University, explained that the Hawkeyes have taken extra care to prevent potential injuries that have hindered the program in the past.
“We have a really big emphasis on prehab and dealing with things before they get too bad,” Whittingstall said. “Everyone is doing shoulder rehab before practices up to one to two times a week.”
Whittingstall also pointed out the extra attention on actions prior to games, not just in practice.
“We’re doing a lot longer warmups, really focusing on doing band work before games, fully preparing our bodies to get to each practice every school day, so that nothing escalates too quickly,” Whittingstall said.
A key part of the success Iowa has had Barnes, whose tenure has a history of building up shaky programs to become powerful opponents, highlighted by a Sweet 16 appearance with Baylor in 2009.
“I really love Coach Barnes and everything he has to say about his goals for Iowa,” Vanzandt said. “You don’t really find that too often with coaches, especially coaches at this level working with a team who is not ranked very high.”
Vanzandt also credited Barnes as a positive influence who invests heavily in the entire team.
“He still has expectations of us,” Vanzandt said. “It’s not just a job to him. I would say he really pours into the team and the girls as a whole and that really stood out to me.”
Barnes emphasized the importance of having a healthy team in achieving Iowa’s full potential.
“We’ve got some good experience and we’ve got everybody healthy,” Barnes said. “I see major improvements this year.”
Vanzandt said, especially with two contests set to commence at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, support from the community will also be a dealbreaker in the upcoming season’s outcome.
“Iowa doesn’t have any pro teams,” Vanzandt said. “We are the pro players here pretty much. Having the hometown people come out and support will mean a lot and the wins will come.”