Iowa women's basketball moves up to No. 2 in AP poll

[cigaretteman]

If there was any doubt about expectations needing to be recalibrated for this Iowa women's basketball season, the first week has set a pretty clear tone.

Top-five win on a neutral court. In-state drubbing with a Iowa-heavy road crowd watching. And now, knocking on the door of the program's first No. 1 ranking in 35 years.

Following a 3-0 start, paired with opening-week losses from No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Connecticut, the Hawkeyes moved up one spot to No. 2 in the latest Associated Press women's basketball poll. Iowa picked up 13 of 36 first-place votes, while new No. 1 South Carolina garnered the other 23.

With coach Lisa Bluder and superstar Caitlin Clark at the controls, Iowa women's basketball is shining brighter than ever before, with eyes on another elite campaign. However, the Hawkeyes will be the first to tell you that a No. 2 ranking one week and three games into the season means little for what's ahead. If it were possible for Clark and Iowa's target to grow larger, it just did — and quality foes are taking aim right away.


"Our schedule is not easy," Clark said after becoming the program's all-time leading scorer in Sunday's 94-53 win at UNI. "That's what prepares you for tough games in March. Next week is not going to get any easier for us, and that's what is exciting about it. We get to prepare for really great teams every single week."

Up next are Thursday's contest against Kansas State (2-0) and Sunday's showdown versus Drake (3-0), both at home. Although Iowa will be a comfortable favorite in each game, two more intriguing non-conference tests should keep the Hawkeyes dialed into this important November stretch.


"Our group is mature enough to understand," Clark said, "this is just the starting block."

This Iowa group has been tested right away with balancing early success and its minimal impact on long-term goals. All indications are the Hawkeyes are just fine handling it all.

Iowa women's basketball moves up to No. 2 in AP poll

The Hawkeyes received 13 of the 36 first-place votes in the latest AP poll, while South Carolina picked up the other 23.

www.press-citizen.com

 

[WadeLookingbill]

By my count, the football team, women's basketball team, and men's basketball team have all been ranked #2 or #3 at some point since 2020. Add in field hockey #1, wrestling #1, baseball 3 wins from College World Series during the same time period. If you think about it (but don't think too hard), it's not so bad being an Iowa fan.

 

[joelbc1]

The danger of being greatly overrated in pre-season/earfly season polls…..Losses are going to happen…Iowa’s a good team but maybe a Top 10 team…..certainly not a Top 5. Built when you have #22 on your team, it’s gonna be hard to hide.

 

[torbee]

The danger of being greatly overrated in pre-season/earfly season polls…..Losses are going to happen…Iowa’s a good team but maybe a Top 10 team…..certainly not a Top 5. Built when you have #22 on your team, it’s gonna be hard to hide.

When you have the best player in the entire country in a sport that only plays 5 players at a time, it most absolutely is NOT certain that Iowa isn't Top 5.

They are picked to win the Big 10 and the Big 10 typically has a Top 5 team.

Ergo - Iowa deserves its ranking and very likely will be close to that by NCAA tournament time again.

 

[joelbc1]

When you have the best player in the entire country in a sport that only plays 5 players at a time, it most absolutely is NOT certain that Iowa isn't Top 5.

They are picked to win the Big 10 and the Big 10 typically has a Top 5 team.

Ergo - Iowa deserves its ranking and very likely will be close to that by NCAA tournament time again.

Everything Ihave read says tOSU and Maryland are league favorites….Iowa id gonna be ok but right now they are pretty young and need some rapid development from their “bigs”……#22 is pretty damn salty and covers a lot of shortcomings…..but I sure as hell am not going to argue with you over women’s basketball! 🤣

 

[WadeLookingbill]

When you have the best player in the entire country in a sport that only plays 5 players at a time, it most absolutely is NOT certain that Iowa isn't Top 5.

They are picked to win the Big 10 and the Big 10 typically has a Top 5 team.

Ergo - Iowa deserves its ranking and very likely will be close to that by NCAA tournament time again.

And barring something crazy happening this regular season, it'll be two home games in the NCAA Tourney as solid favorites to get to the Sweet 16. Then it's about matchups, and just need 2 more wins to get back to that Final Four. It's pretty damn impressive what Lisa Bluder has built at Iowa (hat tip to Coach C. Viv Stringer, and before that Christine Grant).

 

[torbee]

Everything Ihave read says tOSU and Maryland are league favorites….Iowa id gonna be ok but right now they are pretty young and need some rapid development from their “bigs”……#22 is pretty damn salty and covers a lot of shortcomings…..but I sure as hell am not going to argue with you over women’s basketball! 🤣

​

Both the Coaches and Media tabbed Iowa pre-season Joel.

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Iowa and Caitlin Clark Lead Big Ten Preseason Women's Basketball Honors​

10/4/2023 12:00:22 PM

ROSEMONT, Ill. – For the second consecutive year, the University of Iowa has been selected as the preseason Big Ten Conference favorite by both the league’s 14 head coaches and a select media panel, the conference office announced on Wednesday. The coaches and media also selected Hawkeyes’ senior guard Caitlin Clark as the 2023-24 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, marking the third consecutive season the coaches have chosen Clark for the honor.

The coaches voted Ohio State second in the poll, followed by Indiana. The order was reversed in the media poll, with Indiana at No. 2, followed by Ohio State. Maryland claimed the fourth spot in both polls, while Illinois and Michigan rounded out the top five in the coaches and media polls, respectively.

Each of the polls’ top four teams also appear in the 2023-24 “Way Too Early” Rankings recently released by espnW and The Athletic. On Sept. 28, espnW listed Ohio State at No. 4, followed by No. 6 Iowa, No. 10 Indiana, and No. 13 Maryland.

The Athletic’s most recent preseason poll, announced on Sept. 27, includes Iowa ranked No. 6, followed by Ohio State at No. 7, Indiana at No. 9, and Maryland at No. 15.

While Clark was the only player unanimously named to the media’s Preseason All-Big Ten Team, she was joined by Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers, Michigan’s Laila Phelia and Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon as unanimous selections by the coaches.

The quintet was joined by five other Big Ten standouts on teams selected by both the coaches and media, Ilinois’ Makira Cook, Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski and Jaz Shelley, Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon and Penn State’s Makenna Marisa. Minnesota's Mara Braun was also recognized by the coaches.

Ten of the 11 players honored were all-conference selections last season, including six who earned First Team honors, in Clark, Cook, Holmes, Marisa, Sellers and Shelley. Three of the Big Ten’s four individual award winners from last year are also listed among Wednesday’s honorees, Clark (Player of the Year), Holmes (Defensive Player of the Year) and McMahon (Freshman of the Year).

The Big Ten Conference is coming off another successful season that saw a record-tying seven programs selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, with conference teams combining to win a record 13 games. A conference record three teams advanced to the Elite Eight, with Iowa becoming the first Big Ten team since 2015 to reach the Final Four and the first since 2005 to appear in the National Championship game.

Preseason practices are underway for all 14 Big Ten member institutions, with all Big Ten head coaches and selected student-athletes from each school preparing to make their way to Minneapolis for the 2023 Big Ten Basketball Media Days Oct. 9 at the Target Center (more details to come at bigten.org/23BBMD). The 2023-24 regular season tips off Nov. 6, while the 31st Big Ten Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 6-10, also at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four is scheduled for April 5 and 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.

The 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams and rankings are as follows:

2023-24 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Indiana
4. Maryland
5. Illinois

2023-24 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team*
Makira Cook, sr., G, Illinois
MACKENZIE HOLMES, Grad., F, INDIANA
CAITLIN CLARK, SR, G, IOWA
SHYANNE SELLERS, JR., G, MARYLAND
LAILA PHELIA, JR., G, MICHIGAN
Mara Braun, So., G, Minnesota
Alexis Markowski, Jr., C/F, Nebraska
Jaz Shelley, Grad., G, Nebraska
COTIE McMAHON, SOPH., F, OHIO STATE
Jacy Sheldon, Grad, G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Senior+, G, Penn State
*Additional player due to tie in voting

2023-24 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark, Sr. G, Iowa

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Indiana
3. Ohio State
4. Maryland
5. Michigan

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Makira Cook, Sr., G, Illinois
Mackenzie Holmes, Grad., F, Indiana
CAITLIN CLARK, SR., G, IOWA
Shyanne Sellers, Jr., G, Maryland
Laila Phelia, Jr., G, Michigan
Alexis Markowski, Jr., C/F, Nebraska
Jaz Shelley, Grad, G, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Soph., F, Ohio State
Jacy Sheldon, Grad., G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Senior+, G, Penn State

2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark, Sr., G, Iowa

Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS

 

[TJ8869]

Iowa absolutely is Top 5 nationally. Clark, Marshall, and Martin have been playing together for four years now. Yes, they lost Czinano and Warnock, but Stuelke, Goodman, and O’Grady are good and will continue to get better as the season progresses.

I heard an interesting comparison of Iowa and LSU from an analyst over the weekend. She said LSU has more pieces, but Iowa has more glue. That seems like a pretty good description at this point. LSU has an all-star lineup of transfer mercenaries, but do they have the focus and drive to repeat?

South Carolina sounds like a very different team from last year. They lost their entire starting lineup. Last year their key to winning was strength and size, defense and rebounding. This year from what I understand they are much more athletic and some experts think they might be even better than they were last year.

 

[EvolutionDenier]

I heard an interesting comparison of Iowa and LSU from an analyst over the weekend. She said LSU has more pieces, but Iowa has more glue. That seems like a pretty good description at this point.

Dawn Staley: "That's racist."

 

[TJ8869]

Dawn Staley: "That's racist."

It was probably also racist of me to say her team is more athletic this year compared to last year.