One of the top targets on Iowa women’s basketball’s 2026 recruiting board has announced a commitment elsewhere.
GiGi Battle, a four-star small forward per 247Sports and a four-star combo guard per Rivals out of the DME Academy in Florida, announced on Wednesday her commitment to Indiana. The writing was on the wall for Iowa in this recruitment for some time.
Battle was scheduled to take on official visit to Iowa on Sept. 11, but that official visit never materialized.
The 6-foot guard chose Indiana over Iowa, North Carolina State and Georgia. Battle is ranked as the nation’s No. 37 player per 247Sports, as the No. 9 small forward and as the No. 3 player in Florida. Rivals rates Battle as the No. 39 player nationally, as the No. 8 combo guard and as the No. 5 player from the Sunshine State.
BREAKING: Top 2026 recruit GiGi Battle has committed to Indiana.
READ on @Rivals: https://t.co/M3s1L8ZMezpic.twitter.com/whI7vjobbi
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) September 24, 2025
Iowa also saw 6-foot-4 center Emilia Krstevski commit to fellow Big Ten foe Oregon on Tuesday. Like Battle, Krstevski had an Oct. 17 official visit set to Iowa City.
Instead, Krstevski chose Oregon over Iowa and fellow finalists Oklahoma, Arizona State and USC. Krstevski is ranked as a four-star commit for the Ducks and as the nation’s No. 30 player overall per ESPN in the 2026 class. According to 247Sports, Krstevski is the No. 3 player from the state of California.
But, signs are pointing toward Iowa landing a commitment from five-star forward McKenna Woliczko out of Archbishop Mitty in California. After enjoying a Labor Day weekend official visit to Iowa, Woliczko is zeroing in on her final decision. Woliczko’s college decision is expected within the next week.
A pair of 247Sports reporters, 247Sports director of recruiting Brandon Clay and Hawkeye Insider’s David Eickholt, both logged crystal ball predictions favoring Iowa to land a commitment from Woliczko on Wednesday.
Iowa is also readying to welcome in fellow 2026 five-star Addison Bjorn for an official visit to Iowa this weekend for the Hawkeyes’ Homecoming festivities.
Bjorn is choosing between Iowa and her seven finalists, which also features Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke, UConn, Texas and Kansas. Bjorn is ranked as the nation’s No. 9 player and as the No. 2 small forward in the 247Sports composite rankings
The Hawkeyes are also among the final five finalists for five-star guard Jenica Lewis. Lewis is deciding between Iowa, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Oregon and TCU. Lewis has an official visit planned to Iowa City for Oct. 24.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnHawks
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball target commits to Big Ten rival school