Iowa women's basketball among nation's elite in TV ratings

The Iowa women's basketball team has skyrocketed in popularity over the past half-decade.

With the arrival of Caitlin Clark, back-to-back Final Four runs, and a team-first culture, the Hawkeyes captivated audiences over Clark's career in the black and gold. After she departed for the WNBA, many outside of the state and fanbase had questions over whether or not the program could remain nationally relevant.

Jan Jensen has answered those questions with an emphatic yes. After a solid year one in charge, Iowa has found its groove again in the second year under Jensen. They won 24 regular-season games, finished second in a loaded Big Ten Conference, and are primed to host some more NCAA Tournament games. While Carver-Hawkeye Arena is a fantastic home-court advantage, the fans in the building aren't the only ones supporting the Hawks on game day.

Nielsen released their television ratings for the women's college basketball season as of February 25 on Tuesday. Iowa was the second most-watched team in the country, only behind South Carolina.

👀 📺 https://t.co/WcsuDIlb0t

— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) March 4, 2026

The Hawkeyes found themselves ahead of traditional blue bloods like Tennessee, LSU, Notre Dame, UCONN, and many more in the ratings. Even without some of the superstar high-end talent, there's clearly still a huge audience that wants to watch the Hawks on game days.

This is a credit to Jensen, the players on the roster, and the overall culture that's been slowly building over the last decade. Iowa City is now a women's college basketball hub, and the fun is only getting started. With more big-time recruits already committed, a young roster blossoming into its own, and one of the best coaching staffs in the country, Iowa women's basketball is quickly turning into one of the best programs nationally.

And one thing is now very clear: the Hawkeyes are still a massive draw, even without the best player the sport has ever seen.

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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women's basketball among nation's elite in TV ratings