Iowa has plenty of other players that are getting more attention, but Hays taking a leap at the backup center position could do wonders for the Hawkeyes in 2027.
For as good as Iowa women's basketball was in 2025-26, it showed some major flaws near the end of the season.
A major dry spell from three-point range was ultimately the primary reason why the Hawkeyes were sent home early by Virginia, but another factor that few people looked at was Iowa's lack of depth at the center position.
Yes, Journey Houston and Hannah Stuelke both had great seasons, but neither of them are true centers that should be used at that position in postseason play. Both were great at the four, but the Cavaliers exploited Iowa in the paint when Ava Heiden was on the bench resting or in foul trouble.
While Heiden remains entrenched in the the starting center role in 2027, the backup spot is again up for grabs. With Stuelke graduating and Houston likely moving to the four, the job is likely to be turned over to second-year Layla Hays.
Some of the most loyal Hawkeye fans probably haven't seen much of Hays, and that's because she didn't play much during the 2025-26 campaign. The Wasilla, Alaska native averaged just 9.9 minutes per game, with the bulk of it coming in garbage time.
Hays averaged 4.0 points per game over those brief minutes. The raw talent was clearly there, but she clearly needed another offseason of work to prepare for some of the Big Ten's best.
Luckily for Hays, she's in the right place. Head coach Jan Jensen has long been known as one of the nation's best post coaches, and you better believe that she's been working hard on developing Hays' game for 2027 and beyond.
Jensen's has told Hays to start "figuring out how to use her body," which for Hays would mean using her strong, 6-foot-5 frame to bully opponents down low. That comes with confidence, which Jensen says is slowly brewing throughout summer workouts.
"That's where I want her mentality to be. And I think she's embracing that. We just got to keep working on that mental aspect and get those finishes down," Jensen said at media availability on July 23.
Hays did miss more attempts than she made during our viewing period, but the positive things that were on display were her improved footwork and confidence. It's one thing to show that confidence in an actual game, but it's a really positive sign for Hays' development.
One more thing that has helped Hays' confidence grow? Having Heiden, a likely preseason All-American as your partner in crime. The two have grown extremely close on and off the court, and having some of Heiden's incredible talent pushed over to her teammate isn't a bad thing at all.
"When we're going at it, we can still just high-five each other after. We'll be like, 'Oh, good block if she blocks me,'" Hays said. "The support is really important because I know she has my back, even if I am doing poorly."
Remember this, too. Heiden posted nearly identical numbers as a freshman in 2024-25 - 5.0 points per game and 9.8 minutes per game - before averaging 18 points per game as a sophomore and leading Iowa to immense success.
The Hawkeyes would've been a good basketball team last year without Heiden, but with her, they were a force until the Big Ten Tournament.
Will Hays post Heiden-like numbers in her sophomore campaign this year? It's probably unlikely, but increasing her average to 9-10 points per game is a reasonable expectation and would make Iowa very tough to beat in the NCAA tournament.
Again, there are plenty of other stars that are going to get the bulk of the media and fan attention for Iowa this season, but Hays could be the secret ingredient to elevating the Hawkeyes from a Sweet 16 caliber team to a Final Four team in 2026-27.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]
