Panic swept through Iowa the moment it was time to say goodbye to their hometown hero, Caitlin Clark. After two magical seasons that saw the Hawkeyes reach the championship game under coach Bluder, fans knew they were losing more than just a star player–they were losing the centerpiece of a team that had captured the hearts of the whole community. To make matters worse, Lisa Bluder retired as well and was replaced by assistant coach Jan Jensen. Last season didn’t unfold exactly as many had hoped, but it quickly became clear just how tough it would be to fill the void left by Clark.

The Hawkeyes stumbled out of the gate, starting 2-6 in Big Ten play, and doubts began to creep in. But as the season wore on, they rediscovered their rhythm, winning 11 of their final 15 games and even advancing past the first round of the NCAA Tournament. From the stands, Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder watched proudly on a few occasions, cheering on the next generation of Hawkeyes. But despite their late surge, the team’s postseason run came to an end in the second round against Oklahoma.

Last season, Lucy Olsen shouldered much of the offensive load for the Hawkeyes, averaging 17.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while keeping the team’s offense afloat. But with Olsen now playing in the W, Iowa once again finds itself searching for its next go-to star. So, who’s ready to step up this time? Let’s hear it from The Athletic’s Ben Pickman on No Offseason: The Athletic Women’s Basketball Show.

“Another kind of top-10, top-20 recruit that is of note, and who’s going to get a lot of attention this year, is Addison Deal, or Addie Deal, who is going to the Iowa Hawkeyes. And I want to shout her out because she is the biggest national recruit that Iowa has had since Caitlin Clark, and she committed towards the end of Caitlin Clark’s time at Iowa. So there is a lot of hype and a lot of expectation for her coming in as a 6’6″ combo guard who had a decorated high school career out in California. She comes in, and I think a lot of people are just curious what kind of juice she will bring to the Iowa program as it continues to transition from the Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder era into the Jan Jensen and beyond era. And she very much is viewed as a centerpiece of what is now, obviously, one of the household names, household programs in college basketball.”

Addie Deal was the headling grabber for Iowa. The 6-foot combo guard from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California became the highest rated recruit done by the Hawkeyes since Caitlin Clark. Ranked the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2025 class by 247Sports, Deal had her pick of powerhouse programs — Baylor, LSU, Tennessee, and yes, Iowa. So when she announced her commitment to the Hawkeyes in March 2024, it felt like a mic-drop moment. When she announced her commitment to the Hawkeyes in March 2024, it felt like a mic-drop moment. Top 2025 prospects like Jordan Speiser (No. 17 overall), Brynn McGaughy (No. 16 overall), and Emilee Skinner (No. 6 overall) all considered Iowa before choosing elsewhere. With Deal in the fold, Iowa had seemingly found their next Caitlin Clark.

According to ESPN, Addie Deal is a steady, fundamentally sound perimeter player — the kind every coach dreams of having. She plays with unshakable confidence in her long-range shot. Deal can also attack the rim, create her own looks off the bounce, and has that natural scoring flair that makes her tough to guard. So when the Iowa Hawkeyes page on X dropped a “get to know her” video, it didn’t take long for fans to get hyped. With Deal leading the charge, Iowa’s future suddenly looks very exciting.

The Hawkeyes have some serious talent on their roster, led by senior forward Hannah Stuelke, a preseason All-Big Ten selection, and anchored by returning senior guards Kylie Feuerbach and Taylor McCabe.ESPN slots them as a No. 5 seed in its preseason bracketology, while USA Today ranks them No. 23 in the coaches’ preseason poll, setting high expectations for the season ahead.

But it’s not just Addie Deal turning heads for Iowa fans. A 2026 recruit is already being hailed as an even bigger coup for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa Hawkeyes Land Their Biggest Recruit Since Caitlin Clark

The hunt for a top recruit in the 2026 class proved tricky for the Hawkeyes. Elite prospects like Kate Harping (No. 2 overall) and Maddyn Greenway (No. 14 overall) passed on Iowa, making it seem like another year without a top 5-6 signing was on the horizon. But just when it looked bleak, things took a turn.

McKenna Woliczko stepped in to change the narrative. Ranked No. 6 in the SportsCenter NEXT 100 class, the 6-foot-2 forward from Archbishop Mitty High School in California committed to Iowa, becoming coach Jan Jensen’s highest-rated recruit in the post-Caitlin Clark era.

“Obviously Caitlin’s a great player, and obviously she put Iowa on the map,” Woliczko told ESPN earlier this month. “But I also watched a lot of other Iowa players growing up. Megan Gustafson, Monika Czinano, I would always watch them and thought they were awesome.”

The thought of having two five-star prospects in Addie Deal and McKenna Woliczko from 2026 is certainly exciting for Iowa fans. With talent like this, it’s easy to imagine the Hawkeyes fighting for a championship again–and maybe even winning it. But as always, only time will tell! What do you think? Let us know in the comments down below!