The Iowa Hawkeye women are ranked 13th in the Associated Press preseason poll. The Hawkeyes return six of their top seven scorers from last year’s team that won 24 games and played in the NCAA Tournament. As she begins her 18th season as the Iowa coach, Lisa  Bluder says this could be her best Hawkeye team.

One reason for that optimism can be summed up in two words. Megan Gustafson.

The preseason Big Ten Player of the Year led the country in scoring as a junior.

The Hawkeyes open the regular season at home on November ninth against Oral Roberts.