After serving on the Iowa women’s basketball staff as a graduate assistant in the 2025-26 campaign, former Hawkeyes guard and fan favorite Sydney Affolter has been promoted to special assistant to the head coach for this upcoming season.
Affolter spent four years with the Hawkeyes from 2021-25, starting 44 games and playing in 128. As a senior, Affolter averaged a career-best 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Affolter scored in double figures in 15 games and posted six double-doubles during her senior season, including a career-high 24 points in a win at Michigan.
Congratulations to Sydney on being promoted to Special Assistant to the Head Coach ahead of the upcoming season!
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) October 15, 2026
We're so happy you're ours 🫶 pic.twitter.com/rrAh0gWjcL
During her tenure at Iowa, Affolter helped lead the Hawkeyes to three Big Ten Tournament titles in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and back-to-back appearances in the national championship game in 2023 and 2024.
"I’m beyond excited to remain with a program that has given me so much. It’s an honor to give back and support this team in a new role," Affolter said ahead of last season.
Fans will get their first look at the Hawkeyes when Iowa hosts Maryville for an exhibition on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. CT. That game will stream on B1G+. The Hawkeyes open their 2026-27 regular season against Towson on Monday, Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. CT inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Hawkeyes also have two closed scrimmages over the next two weeks against Oklahoma State and Lindenwood.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women's basketball promotes Sydney Affolter to new role