2023–24 Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team
The 2023–24 Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team represented the University of Iowa during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Hawkeyes were led by head coach Lisa Bluder in her twenty-fourth season, and played their home games at Carver–Hawkeye Arena as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
| 2023–24 Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball | |
|---|---|
NCAA tournament, Runner-up | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 2 |
| AP | No. 2 |
| Record | 34–5 (15–3 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Assistant coaches |
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| Home arena | Carver–Hawkeye Arena |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | PCT | W | L | PCT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 Ohio State | 16 | – | 2 | .889 | 26 | – | 6 | .813 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Iowa † | 15 | – | 3 | .833 | 34 | – | 5 | .872 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Indiana | 15 | – | 3 | .833 | 26 | – | 6 | .813 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 12 | – | 6 | .667 | 22 | – | 9 | .710 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nebraska | 11 | – | 7 | .611 | 23 | – | 12 | .657 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 20 | – | 14 | .588 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penn State | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 22 | – | 13 | .629 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maryland | 9 | – | 9 | .500 | 19 | – | 14 | .576 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 8 | – | 10 | .444 | 19 | – | 15 | .559 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 6 | – | 12 | .333 | 15 | – | 17 | .469 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 5 | – | 13 | .278 | 20 | – | 16 | .556 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 5 | – | 13 | .278 | 15 | – | 19 | .441 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 4 | – | 14 | .222 | 9 | – | 21 | .300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rutgers | 2 | – | 16 | .111 | 8 | – | 24 | .250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| † 2024 Big Ten tournament winner Rankings from AP Poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After finishing second in the conference regular season standings, the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten tournament for the third consecutive season and received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. During the NCAA tournament they defeated Holy Cross, West Virginia, Colorado, LSU, and UConn to return to the title game for the second consecutive season. However, the Hawkeyes were defeated by top-ranked and undefeated South Carolina, 87–75, in the national championship game. Iowa finished the season with a record of 34–5 to set a program record and tie the Big Ten record for wins in a season.
Senior Caitlin Clark, who entered the season as the reigning National Player of the Year and a pre-season All-American, exceeded impossibly high expectations to leave an indelible mark on the University of Iowa and women's college basketball. Clark capped her career by being named both Big Ten Player of the Year and a unanimous First-team All-American for the third time, swept National Player of the Year awards for the second time, and finished with numerous NCAA records – highlighted by the NCAA career scoring record. Despite Clark's on-court accomplishments, she remained consistent that her legacy is more closely tied to broader impact – growing interest in the sport and inspiring the next generation. The final three games of Clark's career became the three most watched women's college basketball games of all-time. On April 10, at a celebration event at Carver–Hawkeye Arena, Iowa announced that Clark's jersey number 22 would be the third number to be retired in program history.
The senior class, led by Clark, Kate Martin, and Gabbie Marshall, concluded their college careers having secured four NCAA tournament appearances, including three Sweet Sixteens and two Final Fours.