The University of Iowa has a record of 12-8, 5-4 in Big Ten play, in the 2005-2006 season. The Hawkeyes have defeated UW-Milwaukee, Rider, UW-Green Bay, Vermont, Drake, Northern Iowa, Creighton, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Wisconsin. The team has also lost to Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma, Rutgers, Iowa State, Indiana, Ohio State, Minnesota and Penn State.

Head Coach Lisa Bluder is in her sixth year as head coach at Iowa. She has led her charges to a 96-62 overall record prior to this year, including 46-34 in Big Ten play. The 96 victories are the second-highest total for any Hawkeye coach. The Hawkeyes have advanced to postseason play in each of her five previous years. Her overall record in 21 years of coaching is 452-201.

Iowa has 15 players on its 2005-2006 roster: five seniors, one redshirt junior, four sophomores and five freshmen. Eight players are six feet tall or more. Seven players have seen action in all 20 games, with each of them averaging at least 18.5 minutes apiece. Crystal Smith and Krista VandeVenter rank 1-2 in the category at 33.2 and 31.8 minutes per game.

The Hawkeyes average 73.0 points per game, shooting 46.0% from the field, 36.5% from 3-point range and 74.2% from the free throw line. The squad averages 17.4 assists per game and has an overall 347/342 assist/turnover ratio.

The Hawkeyes give up 64.4 points per game, as opponents make 40% of their field goals and 26.6% from 3-point range. On average, opponents make more than 18 turnovers per game against Iowa, but outrebound them at a 37.3-37.0 clip. Iowa has 188 steals on the year and 77 blocks.

Crystal Smith is the Hawkeyes’ best player, leading the team in scoring (18.8 per game), assists (63), steals (48), and ranks third in blocks (10) and fifth in rebounding (3.6 per game). She makes 44.8% of her field goals; about 40% of her field goal attempts come from behind the three-point line. She also averages six free throw attempts per game and converts 84.7% of them.

Megan Skouby is second on the team with 13.1 points per game, and may be the front runner for the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award. She is Iowa’s top field goal shooter (56.9%) and has blocked 32 opponents’ shots. She also averages 4.5 rebounds per game, second on the squad, despite playing only 23.3 minutes per game. Megan has already fouled out of three games this year and averages almost 2.8 fouls per game. She is the tallest player in Iowa history.

Finally, 6’2” sophomore VandeVenter is a star in the making. After earning All-Big Ten Freshman Team accolades last year while averaging 7.6 rebounds, two assists and 7.3 points per game, she has upped those totals to 8.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 9.2 points per game. She is second on the squad in steals, blocks and assists per game. She also has a 1.8 assist/turnover ratio.