This small New Jersey school is well-known for its men's basketball team, but the women's program has been more consistent in recent years.
After a one-year absence, NCAA tournament games will return to Iowa City this year.
The Iowa women's basketball team is the No. 2 seed in a loaded Region 4. While Hawkeye fans are already looking ahead to what could be coming next, Jan Jensen and Co. still have a first round game to prepare for.
That first round game is against the 15th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson Knights on Saturday, March 21. The Hawkeyes will undoubtedly be a heavy favorite in this one, so while you wait for the matchup to begin, take some time to learn five things about Fairleigh Dickinson.
These teams have met just once
This will be the second all-time meeting between these two programs. The only other matchup between the Knights and Hawkeyes came on Nov. 6, 2023 - the season-opener of Caitlin Clark's final year in Iowa City. Clark was her usual stellar self in that game, recording 28 points and 10 assists in just 24 minutes of action.
Three current Hawkeye players - Hannah Stuelke, Taylor McCabe, and Kylie Feuerbach - played in this game, but Stuelke was the only one to register a point. She finished with 22 points and a team-high nine rebounds on 9-of-10 shooting.
Iowa won the game, 102-46, and would go on to reach its second consecutive NCAA national championship game.
A budding NEC power
Fairleigh Dickinson is well-known for its men's basketball program, which became the second No. 16 seed in NCAA tournament history to upset a No. 1 seed in 2023, but the women's basketball program is well on the road to being a Northeast Conference power.
Third-year head coach Stephanie Gaitley has been a winner throughout her 41-year college career, and she's brought that winning mentality to the Knights. Fairleigh Dickinson had never appeared in an NCAA Division I tournament before Gaitley's arrival, but the Knights have gone a combined 59-8 over the last two years - culminating in two straight berths in the Big Dance.
Fairleigh Dickinson hasn't lost an NEC game in those two seasons and comes to Iowa City with an impressive 30-4 mark.
Three players average double figures
Another reason why the Knights won't be going anywhere is their roster, which is loaded with young talent. Fairleigh Dickinson's leading scorers - Ava Renninger and Kailee McDonald - are both sophomores, and you can't forget about senior Madlena Gerke. The Evansville transfer has found a home with the Knights, playing a career-high 27 minutes and scoring 11.1 points per game.
Where is Fairleigh Dickinson located?
Fairleigh Dickinson University has to be one of the youngest Division I schools in the nation. It was established in 1942 as Fairleigh Dickinson Junior College before taking on its current name 14 years later.
The university is located in Teaneck, New Jersey, a township in the New York City metro. It is New Jersey's largest private institution and serves over 12,000 students.
Fairleigh Dickinson sponsors fencing
In a fitting play on its nickname, Fairleigh Dickinson does indeed have a fencing program. The Knights are one of just 28 D-I teams to sponsor the combat sport, which is primarily played on the East Coast.
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