“You bet we did”: HC Jan Jensen shares sweet Iowa tradition that motivated the Hawkeyes to get 2025’s 1st Big 10 road win

Jan Jensen and Iowa Hawkeyes celebrated their victory over Penn State on Wednesday by taking part in a cherished team tradition. Not only did Iowa rally past the Lady Lions 80-68, but the win also marked Jensen's first Big Ten road triumph as the head coach.

After the game, Jensen shared a couple of photos on her Instagram story. The images, sourced from Iowa’s Instagram account, showcased the special tradition the Hawkeyes follow after their first conference road win of the season.

The photo shows the coach standing in front of the whiteboard addressing her team, which has written "B1G road win #1! Ice cream? (It's a tradition)"

"So... did we get ice cream & keep the tradition," Jan Jensen wrote above the image.

The next photo shows the Iowa players digging into their celebratory ice cream treats on a team bus, with the coach adding the text:

"You bet we did."

Jan Jensen Instagram story (Credits: @janjensen13/IG)

However, the No. 23 Hawkeyes had to work hard to get the postgame treat on New Year's Day. At Bryce Jordan Center, they encountered a feisty Penn State squad, who jumped out to a 24-15 lead after the first quarter.

Iowa then got going in the second period, putting together a 14- 2 run, and ending the half with a 2-point lead. The game remained close throughout, but the Hawkeyes pulled away in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

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Jan Jensen shares her thoughts on the Penn State win

Iowa Hawkeyes had a hard-fought victory over Penn State, 84-63, securing their second Big Ten win — their first on the road. Coach Jan Jensen spoke to the media following the game, sharing her thoughts on the significance of the win.

"I think that is what makes me the happiest is I thought we really handled the pressure," Jensen spoke on Learfield's postgame radio show. "We made them pay with layups, I think at least two times, which is what you want to do when you break a press."

"So, I thought there was a lot of growth there. And we closed, that was the main thing. I was really disappointed with how we started. But it’s really difficult to win on the road."

Taylor McCabe, a junior guard, scored 17 points to lead the Hawkeyes. Fellow junior forward Hannah Stuelke recorded her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Jan Jensen's team traveled to East Lansing last month in search of their first conference road win but fell to Michigan State in a narrow 66-68 defeat. They beat Purdue 84-63 in their Big Ten home opener on Dec. 29.