Iowa Women's Basketball Earns 2 Seed in NCAA Tournament

Hawkeyes to host Fairleigh Dickinson in opening round at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:44am

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The Iowa Women's Basketball team has earned a 2 seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, marking their eighth straight tournament appearance. The Hawkeyes, who finished the regular season with a 26-6 record, will host 15 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the opening round at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Should Iowa advance, they would face the winner of 7 seed Georgia and the First Four matchup between Virginia and Arizona State.

Why it matters

Iowa's women's basketball program has become a consistent national power, making the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight season. The Hawkeyes have reached the Final Four twice in the last three tournaments, cementing their status as one of the top programs in the country.

The details

The Hawkeyes earned a 2 seed in the Sacramento 2 Region and will take on Fairleigh Dickinson, the Northeast Conference champion, in the opening round. Iowa has won its tournament opener in six consecutive tournaments dating back to 2019. The winner of the Iowa-Fairleigh Dickinson game would face the winner of 7 seed Georgia and the First Four matchup between Virginia and Arizona State.

  • The 2026 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament selection show took place on March 16, 2026.
  • Iowa's opening round game against Fairleigh Dickinson will be played at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.

The players

Iowa Hawkeyes

The women's basketball team at the University of Iowa, a consistent national power that has made the NCAA Tournament for eight straight seasons.

Fairleigh Dickinson Knights

The women's basketball team from Fairleigh Dickinson University, which earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Northeast Conference championship.

Jan Jensen

The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, who has led the program to consistent success and multiple NCAA Tournament appearances.

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What they’re saying

“BREAKING🚨 Iowa will face Fairleigh Dickinson in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes earned a 2-seed in the Sacramento 2 Region and will take on the No. 15 Knights in the Round of 64 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.”

— Kyle Huesmann

What’s next

The winner of the Iowa-Fairleigh Dickinson game will advance to face the winner of 7 seed Georgia and the First Four matchup between Virginia and Arizona State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

Iowa's women's basketball program has become a consistent national power, earning a 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight season. The Hawkeyes will look to make another deep tournament run and potentially reach their third Final Four in the last four tournaments.