38-17
Iowa softball certainly has some room to grow, but recent seasons have indicated the program is improving, not declining, in overall competitiveness.
In 2024, Iowa went a meager 18-28 on the season, dropping winnable games to schools like UC Davis, Santa Clara, and Purdue. The following season, however, the Hawkeyes improved to 35-18 overall.
Did the 2025 season have big losses? Sure, but 11 of Iowa’s 18 dropped contests were to ranked teams such as national title contenders Tennessee and Texas Tech. Iowa was actually a run short of besting No. 15 Missouri, and even managed victories over No. 5 UCLA, 7-4, and No. 20 Nebraska, 5-2.
Iowa started last season 2-3 in its first five games, falling to three different ranked opponents in three days. This year, the Hawkeyes started 3-2 in the same amount of time, coming from behind to beat UConn, 10-9, and nabbing back-to-back triumphs over Samford, 9-1 and 3-2.
Outside of the record books, the Hawkeyes have kept together a consistent team for this season, returning key starter and senior Tory Bennett and recruiting senior Serayah Neiss and junior Leah McAnally from the portal, the latter two joining freshman Mariah Myers on the 2026 Big Ten Softball Players to Watch list.
Meanwhile, Iowa alum Stacy May-Johnson returns to Iowa City for her first season as the head coach, boasting over 20 years of coaching experience. May-Johnson remains in the top-15 in program history in career games played, hits, runs, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and batting average. Her recent coaching tenure at Fresno State was one of improvement, notching 112 wins in four seasons, 37 of which came last season
If the Hawkeyes focus on winning games outside of the Power Five conferences, contests against opponents like McNeese State on Feb. 26 and Memphis on Feb. 27, as well as playing consistently against ranked opponents, 2026 has every right to be a winning season.
33-22
With the 2026 NCAA DI softball season just underway, there still remains a lot of time for the Iowa softball team to rebound after an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament last year.
Iowa has recently embarked on an upward trend, with two of the last three seasons seeing 30-plus wins.
Notable for this season is the new head coach Stacy May-Johnson. With 20 years of coaching experience, it may be the Hawkeyes’ best opportunity to learn and be coached by one of the best.
The Hawkeyes lost star players to the transfer portal, but new additions of players and returners have no real importance when it comes to making the NCAA tournament. Rather, the schedule makes the difference.
Last year, the Hawkeyes went 2-10 against seven ranked opponents.
This year, Iowa is set to match up with five ranked teams over 11 games. The Hawkeyes’ 3-2 start in Florida already saw one of those matchups, with No. 7 Florida State outscoring Iowa, 12-3.
Following this road trip, the Hawkeyes will have 14 games against unranked opponents before their next ranked matchup against current 10th-ranked LSU. Nonetheless, all of these games are on the road or at neutral sites. Iowa’s first home game isn’t until game 28 of the season.
Adding to the weak schedule is Iowa’s choice of Big Ten opponents. The Hawkeyes will match up against eight conference opponents, three of which are ranked in the top 25.
Of course, it’s highly unlikely Iowa doesn’t drop a game or two in these matchups and against some non-conference opponents throughout the season. Poor performance is inevitable in long seasons.
With the lack of difficult opponents and ranked teams, Iowa will have to win when expected and rebound when needed to even have a chance at consideration for this year’s NCAA tournament.