Over the last two seasons, Iowa women’s basketball has embraced the post position as the main driver of its offensive attack.
While good post players have always been a constant with current head coach Jan Jensen on the staff over the last 27 years, the Hawkeyes’ offensive production last season was primarily through the post, compared to the four years of Caitlin Clark unloading threes from the logo.
In 2025-26, Iowa was blessed with depth at the post position with Hannah Stuelke and Ava Heiden running a high-low action to generate offense. While this worked well for the Hawkeyes during most of the season, their demise came when the guards were forced to produce at a higher level.
Now in 2026, Jensen may be utilizing her guards more often in a new-look offense after the depth comparison between post players and guards has nearly flipped.
Iowa added four guards in the transfer portal, headlined by former Georgia Bulldog Dani Carnegie. The unanimous First Team All-SEC selection averaged 17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last season.
The Hawkeyes also brought in Division III transfer Bria Medina from Knox College. Medina averaged 23.6 points per game last season, ranking second in all of DIII.
The addition of those guards not only creates more scoring threats but also allows junior guard Chit-Chat Wright to play her typical leadership role in the backcourt.
“I think when we finished off [recruiting], it was to be able to have [Wright] just be the true point guard she is,” assistant coach LaSondra Barrett said at media availability on July 7. “We know her ability to shoot and be a floor general, but I think it took a lot of pressure off of her to be a playmaker.”
This season won’t be the first time Carnegie and Wright have played together, as the two grew up playing AAU together. Barrett said the two are opposites in terms of personality on the floor, but complement each other well.
Wright said her and Carnegie’s families are very close, and she was excited when she found out her childhood friend was joining the Hawkeyes, and even helped bring Carnegie to Iowa once she entered the portal.
“Once I knew she was in the portal, we chatted and were just talking about her different options and what she was looking for, and I thought Iowa was the best place for her,” Wright said.
In Medina’s case, moving from DIII to one of the top conferences in Division I has been challenging, especially being welcomed to Iowa with a broken nose within the first couple of practices.
Medina was defending her teammate, Amari Whiting, who tried a euro step and accidentally caught Medina’s nose with her elbow, causing Medina to miss a little over two weeks of live practice.
She says she was ready for the jump in levels, but the injury caused a slight setback in adjusting.
“I think I was prepared mentally, but it was kind of tough being out because of my nose,” Medina said. “Now being back in it, it’ll be a little different, but I think just being open-minded and taking every critique and making sure that I’m adjusting and fixing it.”
With a new offensive system, the coaching staff is making sure not to rush the players into learning it. Barrett said that while there have been some struggles, they are further ahead than they were at this point last season.
“It’s coming along,” Barrett said. “It’s slow when you’re teaching it in baby steps, to be able to understand the principles and trying to get everybody involved… I think overall, this and what they’re doing in the weight room, and what they’re doing with their shooting, we’re much further ahead than we were last year.”