Iowa Hawkeyes to play against UConn Huskies in Women's Champion Classic in December 2025

The Iowa Hawkeyes and the UConn Huskies will face each other in the Women’s Champion Classic this December. The announcement was made by Women's College Hoops on Wednesday.

"The Women’s Champion Classic returns for another year, with the same teams, but different matchups," the annoucement read on Instagram. "This year, on December 20th, a women’s double-header takes place with UConn vs Iowa and Tennessee vs Louisville at the Barclays Center in New York."

The tournament also revealed that each team will receive $100,000 for participating and the event has been renewed for 2026 following a high rating on FOX and high attendance last season.

"Each team receives $100K for participating. Last year the classic peaked at 800,000 viewers of FOX and more than 11,000 fans attended. This event has been renewed for 2026 as well."

The Women Champions Classic is an early-season women’s college basketball showcase featuring four powerhouse programs in women's college basketball: the University of Connecticut, the University of Iowa, the University of Louisville and the University of Tennessee.

This year's event will be held in New York at Barclays Center through 2026. The games will also be aired on FOX.

UConn's Geno Auriemma and Iowa's Jan Jensen react to Women Champions Classic 2025 announcement

The Women’s Champions Classic has announced its return for December 2025. The announcement, which was made on Wednesday, will be played by UConn, Iowa, Louisville and Tennessee women's basketball.

UConn women's basketball head coach, Geno Auriemma and other participating head coaches have shared their reactions to the announcement, expressing their excitement about the upcoming event.

"The inaugural Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic was everything I hoped it would be when we first came up with the idea. It was a great showcase for women's basketball and was well run from top to bottom. We're thrilled to return to Barclays Center next season. I can't wait to see how the event evolves as we continue it for the foreseeable future," Auriemma said per FOXSports.

Iowa head coach, Jan Jensen also expressed excitement and pride that her team will be participating in the event.

"I am beyond excited and proud to once again be part of the Shark Beauty Women's Champions Classic. This is a premier event showcasing some of the best women's basketball programs in the country. It is a first-class experience that gives our players an early season NCAA Tournament feel. I am also looking forward to seeing our great Hawkeye fans show out in New York!"

All four participating teams have won 19 NCAA Division I National Championships and earned 48 appearances in NCAA Final Fours. They are also to be at least a No. 7 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.