Feuerbach was named to the Big Ten's All-Defensive team this year, but offensive struggles halted her potential.
Editor's note: HawkeyeRoundtable will be releasing player and head coach grades for every Iowa men's and women's basketball over the course of the month of April. This is the third article in the series.
Kylie Feuerbach couldn't even get through the question without breaking down in tears.
Iowa women's basketball's senior guard was asked about her experience playing for the Hawkeyes following Iowa's season-ending double overtime loss to Virginia on March 23. An emotional Feuerbach deferred the question to fellow senior Hannah Stuelke, who issued a tear-filled statement.
The season didn't end the way Feuerbach anticipated, but she still ended her Iowa career on a high note.
Here's her 2025-26 season grade:
The rundown
Few college players can say they've played for both Iowa and Iowa State, but that's exactly what Feuerbach did. Injuries limited Feuerbach's playing time during the 2023 and 2024 Final Four runs, but once Caitlin Clark and others left, the Sycamore, Illinois native jumped in to fill the leadership role.
Offense was never Feuerbach's specialty, but any offensive gaps were closed up by her tenacious defense. Feuerbach usually had to guard some of the Big Ten's best players, and no challenge was to tall for her. The highlight of Feuerbach's career may have been during the 2024-25 campaign, where she held USC star JuJu Wakins to 8-for-22 shooting in an upset win.
Feuerbach was snubbed from the Big Ten All-Defensive team last year, but made sure to earn a spot on that list in 2025-26. The senior averaged just 5.1 points per game, but her 36 steals and 14 blocks helped her maintain her status as a defensive stalwart in the Hawkeye lineup.
Feuerbach's efforts helped Iowa win an unexpected 27 games, finish runner-up in both the Big Ten regular season and tournament championship races, and earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Feuerbach's defense was a big reason for the Hawkeyes' strong season, but the lack of offensive firepower doomed the senior at the end of the year. Feuerbach went a combined 1-for-22 from the field (1-for-7 against Virginia) over Iowa's final four contests - not a figure you want your senior starter posting.
While the saying is "defense wins championships," even a stout Hawkeye defense couldn't overcome a poor shooting effort when it mattered.
Feuerbach will always be a beloved Hawkeye, but offensive struggles halted her true potential in 2026.
Grade: B-
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