After leading No. 12 Iowa women’s basketball (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten) offensively in its three wins over the past week, including a 62-44 upset victory against No. 5 Michigan (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten), sophomore center Ava Heiden has been named the Big Ten Player of the Week, according to the conference’s weekly awards announcement on Feb. 23.
The 6-foot-4 native of Sherwood, Ore., led the Hawkeyes in scoring during all three games by averaging 24.0 points per game on 75% shooting from the field, 11.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 blocks, including three consecutive double-doubles to increase her career total to eight.
Against Nebraska on Feb. 16, Heiden recorded a career-high-tying 27 points on 12-for-15 shooting and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, to go along with her 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal.
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She would follow up that performance at Purdue on Feb. 19 by posting 21 points on 10-for-12 from the floor and 1-for-3 from the line, to go along with 13 rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
In Iowa’s dominant 18-point upset win over Michigan on Feb. 22, Heiden solidified her Player of the Week status by powering the Hawkeyes on both ends of the court. Against the Wolverines, Heiden posted 24 points on 11-for-17 shooting and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, along with 10 boards, two blocks, and two steals to cap off a successful “Senior Day” in front of a raucous sellout Carver-Hawkeye Arena crowd.
Adding to her sensational play, Hieden’s 24-point and 10 rebound outing against the Wolverines was her fourth double-double of the season with at least 20 points.
Through the Hawkeyes’ 27 games this season, Heiden leads the team with 17.3 points on 64.4% shooting (No. 4 nationally in field goal percentage), along with 7.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per contest.
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Heiden’s Big Ten Player of the Week recognition this week marks her third of the 2025-26 campaign and her career, joining senior forward Hannah Stuelke’s Jan. 19 distinction as the only other Hawkeye to earn the honor this season.
Heiden will look to continue her impressive play this week as the Hawkeyes host their regular-season home finale on Thursday, Feb. 26, against Illinois inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, followed by their Big Ten regular-season finale at Wisconsin on Sunday, March 1. Tipoff versus the Fighting Illini is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network, while the clash against the Badgers is set for 2 p.m. CT on BTN+.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball’s Ava Heiden named Big Ten Player of the Week
