Caitlin Clark’s Old Team Iowa Hawkeyes Fall Behind Massively As AP’s NCAA Rankings Break the Internet

The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team has undergone major changes since last season. With Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, and longtime head coach Lisa Bluder no longer in the picture, the team has entered a new era. Despite this, the Hawkeyes have started strong with a 4-0 record. However, their impressive performance hasn’t secured them a spot in the latest AP Top 25 rankings, sparking outrage among fans.

The latest AP Top 25 rankings for NCAA women’s college basketball are out, and there’s no surprise at the top—defending champions South Carolina, who handed Iowa a tough loss last season, claimed the No. 1 spot. But here’s the real head-scratcher: the black-and-gold Hawkeyes didn’t make the cut. Not a single spot in the 25 this season for a team that’s been a powerhouse in recent memory?

The Iowa Hawkeyes might be without their superstar Caitlin Clark this season, but the Lucy Olsen-led roster is making a fair case for itself. Coming off back-to-back championship game appearances, the Hawkeyes maintain a four-game winning streak, 2 this past week.

While other teams in the rankings also show consistency with perfect records, the absence of the Hawkeyes, led by Jan Jensen, in all three weeks of ranking, has left fans frustrated, with many taking to social media to voice their demands for the Hawkeyes to earn their well-deserved spot.

Fans demand recognition for the Undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes post-Caitlin Clark era

Since Jan Jensen took over as head coach after Lisa Bluder’s departure last year, she’s made an immediate impact. Currently ranked seventh in the Big Ten standings, Iowa’s performance has remained strong, including a 37-point win margin performance. It has the fans believing Iowa should have never been out of the running.

“Iowa needs to be in here and should have been from the start”  &  “Iowa should be ranked“

During Caitlin Clark’s running, the Hawkeyes made back-to-back championship game appearances, though they fell short against LSU in 2023 and South Carolina in 2024. Both of those teams secured spots in the latest AP Top 25 rankings, with South Carolina at No. 1 and LSU at No. 7. Louisville and North Carolina State with 2-2 record so far also make the list. Watching Iowa miss out feels like a sign of disrespect for the fans.

“Iowa haters atp”  & “Why isn’t Iowa ranked? So disrespectful“

Interestingly, Iowa received the most votes (88) among all unranked teams, coming closer to a Top 25 spot than anyone else. The next closest team, Michigan, earned just 38 votes. While Iowa narrowly missed out, another team made a noticeable leap—TCU Horned Frogs. After being left out in the first two weeks, TCU broke into the rankings at No. 19 in Week 3, boasting the same 4-0 record as Iowa. This decision didn’t sit well with some fans. One of them was quick to point out the apparent inconsistency in how TCU and Iowa were evaluated.

“They finally noticed TCU, but not Iowa“

With only three weeks of the season in the books, there’s still plenty of basketball left to play. Up next for the Hawkeyes is a high-stakes matchup against Kansas on Wednesday, November 20—a game that could make a strong case for their place among the nation’s best.