Hawkeyes Host Kansas State, Missouri State

THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s soccer team (4-1-0) returns to Iowa City to host Kansas State (4-0-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. (CT) and Missouri State on Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT). Both games will be held at the Iowa Soccer Complex. Admission is free.

WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE
- Both matches will be streamed live on B1G+, a paid subscription service.

-  Live statistics will be available on StatBroadcast and can be accessed at hawkeyesports.com.

- Fans can follow the Iowa soccer program on X (@HawkeyeSoccer) and Instagram (@HawkeyeSoccer) for live in-game updates.

OF NOTE...
- The Hawkeyes return seven starters and 17 letterwinners this season while adding 11 newcomers, including eight transfers.

- Iowa returns four players who earned All-Big Ten honors in 2025: second-team selections Sofia Bush and Millie Greer, along with Big Ten All-Freshman Team honorees Liana Tarasco and Elle Wildman.

- Iowa is ranked No. 18 by TopDrawerSoccer and is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

- The Hawkeyes’ seven goals against Milwaukee set a program record for goals scored in a season opener.

- Iowa’s 12 goals through its first two matches were the most in the first two contests of a season in program history, surpassing the 10 goals scored to open the 1999 season.

- Iowa opened the season with consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2023.

- Iowa has scored 19 goals through five matches, with 10 different Hawkeyes finding the back of the net.

- Berit Parten is currently tied for third in the Big Ten with nine points. Parten also leads the team in the category. Parten, Elle Wildman and Reilly Heman are tied for the team lead with three goals apiece.

- Savannah Hutchins and Berit Parten are tied for second in the conference with three assists.

- Freshman goalkeeper Braelynn Galt has posted three clean sheets with nine saves across her first five collegiate matches.

- Iowa has outshot its opponents 114-22 this season.

- The Hawkeyes have limited their opponents to just 4.4 shots per match.

- The Hawkeyes have won four straight and nine of their last 11 contests against Iowa State.

SCOUTING KANSAS STATE
- Kansas State enters Thursday’s match with a 4-0-1 record. The Wildcats most recently played Nebraska to a scoreless draw on Aug. 30.

- The Wildcats enter Thursday’s match with a program-record six-match unbeaten streak (4-0-2), dating back to the 2025 season finale.

- Kansas State ranks third in the Big 12 in total goals (12) and leads the league with a plus-11 goal differential.

- Junior goalkeeper Maddie Sibbing leads the Big 12 with a 0.20 goals-against average and ranks second with a .929 save percentage. She has recorded three shutouts this season and was named Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 2.

- The Wildcats posted a winning record in 2025 (7-6-5). Kansas State also set program records for goals (23) and shutouts (nine) last season.

- Kansas State was picked to finish 14th in the 2026 Big 12 preseason poll.

- Thursday’s match marks the first meeting between Iowa and Kansas State.

SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE
- Missouri State enters the week with a 2-2-1 record and travels to Iowa State on Thursday before facing Iowa on Sunday. The Bears defeated Central Arkansas, 3-0, in their most recent outing on Aug. 30.

- The Bears have recorded three consecutive shutouts.

- Maggie O’Keefe leads Missouri State with two goals and five points. O’Keefe has eight shots and six shots on goal and has contributed to three of Missouri State’s four goals this season.

- Goalkeeper Kate Lewis has recorded 21 saves through five matches while posting a .778 save percentage, a 1.29 goals-against average and three shutouts. Her three shutouts are tied for first in Conference USA.

- The Bears return six starters and 13 additional players from their 2025 roster. Missouri State advanced to the Conference USA Championship final in its first season in the league, finishing 7-9-4 overall and 2-3-3 in conference play.

- Missouri State was picked to finish second in the 2026 Conference USA Preseason Coaches’ Poll after advancing to the league championship match in 2025.

- Sunday’s match marks the fourth meeting between Iowa and Missouri State. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series 2-0-1 and claimed a 5-0 victory in their last meeting on Sept. 7, 2025.

PLAYING THE BEST
Iowa’s 2026 schedule features eight opponents that advanced to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes will face Milwaukee, Wake Forest, Illinois, Penn State, Ohio State, Washington, UCLA and Wisconsin during the 2026 campaign.

PROTECT THE COMPLEX
Iowa holds a 12-1-2 record in its last 15 home games.

BRACE FOR IMPACT
The Hawkeyes have recorded three braces through five matches in 2026.

- Berit Parten and Berkley Binggeli scored two goals apiece in Iowa’s season-opening victory over Milwaukee.

- Reilly Heman recorded her first career brace against UNC Greensboro.

ON THE WORLD STAGE
Liana Tarasco, Iba Oching and Léa Larouche were selected to represent Canada at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

NEW YEAR, NEW STAFF
The Iowa soccer program enters the 2026 campaign with a new coaching staff, led by head coach Dean Ward following two seasons at Xavier.

- Ward has nearly two decades of collegiate coaching experience and owns a 35-9-4 career record as a head coach at the Division I level. During his two seasons at Xavier, he led the Musketeers to 31 victories, a Big East Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025.

- Assistant coach Kelly Altman joined the staff following three seasons at Florida. Altman completed his 19th season in coaching following the 2025 campaign, working at multiple levels, including NCAA Divisions I and III, high school and club soccer. Across coaching stints at Florida, Dayton, New Mexico, Valparaiso, High Point and Trinity, teams he has helped coach have compiled a combined record of 190-79-50.

- Assistant coach Meghan Gill joined Iowa after three seasons as associate head coach at Richmond. In 2025, the Spiders finished second in the Atlantic 10 in save percentage (.841) while posting six shutouts. She arrived at Richmond from Davidson, where she served as recruiting coordinator for two seasons.

- Assistant coach Noah Smith joined Iowa following two seasons at Xavier, where he worked with the goalkeepers. The Musketeers recorded eight shutouts in 2025, and the coaching staff was recognized as the United Soccer Coaches East Region Staff of the Year.

- Director of soccer operations Josie Durr returned to Iowa after playing for the Hawkeyes for six seasons from 2017-22. The Solon, Iowa, native most recently served as a competition manager for the Arizona Soccer Association.

LOOKING BACK AT 2025
- The Hawkeyes finished the 2025 campaign with a 12-5-4 overall record and a 6-2-3 mark in Big Ten play.

- Iowa rose as high as No. 5 in the national rankings in 2025, the highest ranking in program history.

- The Hawkeyes qualified for the Big Ten Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, marking their 16th appearance all-time.

- Iowa earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed. It marked the program’s third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, setting a program record. Iowa also hosted an opening-round contest for the third consecutive season.

- Iowa defeated South Dakota State, 1-0, in the first round to advance to the second round for a third consecutive season. The Hawkeyes were one of 11 programs to advance to the second round in each of the last three seasons, joining Florida State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Arkansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Texas Tech, Penn State, Georgetown and Stanford.

- The Hawkeyes posted 10 shutouts during the season, giving the program 35 shutouts in 65 matches (.538) from 2023-25.

- Iowa tied for third in the Big Ten regular-season standings for the second consecutive season, matching the best conference finish in program history.

TURNING HEADS
- Elle Wildman, Sofia Bush and Millie Greer were named Big Ten Players to Watch for the 2026 season.

- Millie Greer, Iba Oching and Sofia Bush received 2026 United Soccer Coaches Women’s Players to Watch recognition.

- Bush and Greer were ranked 57th and 72nd, respectively, in TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Women’s National Top 100.

- Bush and Greer were selected to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

2 FOR THE MONEY
- Iowa is 68-3-4 in its last 75 matches when scoring two or more goals, dating to October 2017.

- The Hawkeyes are 4-0-0 this season when scoring at least twice.

SINCE 2019, IOWA HAS...
- Won two Big Ten Tournament championships, claiming titles in 2021 and 2023.

- Won five NCAA Tournament matches.

- Made five of the program’s six NCAA Tournament appearances.

- Advanced to the first Sweet 16 in program history.

- Earned 13 postseason wins.

- Posted 65 shutouts.

- Defeated 12 ranked opponents, nine top-15 opponents and two top-five opponents.

- Set a new home attendance record (2,639) in the overtime win over Bucknell in 2023, which was the first NCAA Tournament game hosted at the Iowa Soccer Complex.