The 2026-27 women's college basketball season may still be months away, but with the transfer portal frenzy settling down, teams are already turning their attention to March. For Iowa Hawkeyes fans, that means it's never too early to start dreaming of tournament glory—and ESPN's first bracketology projection for the 2027 NCAA Tournament gives them plenty of reason to be excited.

While Iowa is still looking to add a few more pieces to its roster, the Hawkeyes appear to have their starting five locked in, along with key bench contributors. That puts them in a strong position alongside other powerhouse programs that have mostly finalized their lineups after the transfer period.

According to ESPN's initial bracketology, Iowa is projected to host the first and second rounds of the 2027 NCAA Tournament. If that holds true, it would mark the fifth time in the last six seasons that the Hawkeyes have earned the right to play in front of their home crowd—a testament to the program's sustained success.

Under this projection, Iowa would open against No. 15 seed James Madison. A win there would set up a second-round matchup against the winner of No. 7 seed West Virginia and No. 10 seed Syracuse. The full Philadelphia Region 2 bracket is packed with intriguing storylines, and the Hawkeyes are right in the mix.

The Big Ten leads all conferences with 11 projected tournament bids, edging out the SEC's 10. According to ESPN bracketologist Charlie Creme, the Big Ten could add two more bids if the NCAA Tournament expands to a 76-team field next season—a change that would shake up the landscape even further. Currently, Michigan State and Indiana are among the first four teams out of the field.

Last season's national runner-up, South Carolina, sits as the projected No. 1 overall seed, rounding out a top seed line that includes the usual suspects. For Iowa, this early bracketology is a promising sign of what could be another deep tournament run—and a reminder that the Hawkeyes are built to compete with the best.