In the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, Iowa was the conference's most distinguished women's basketball program. Behind head coach Vivian Stringer the Hawkeyes won four-consecutive conference titles and recorded four-consecutive top-10 national rankings from the 1986-87 season through the 1989-90 season. Stringer, the three-time National Coach of the Year and member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, is one of the most successful coaches in Big Ten history, with a 269-84 career record at Iowa, and a .789 winning percentage in conference play through her 12-year stint.

In 1988, Iowa finished the season ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press on the strength of National Player of the Year Michelle Edwards. The Hawkeye teams of the era included two conference Player of the Year honorees in Edwards (1988) and Franthea Price (1990), who was also the 1987 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The pair was among five players who earned a total of eight first-team All-Big Ten honors during the four-year span. Edwards was a three-time selection (1986-87-88) while Jolette Law (1989-90) and Price (1988, 1990) each earned two first-team spots. One-time selections included Shanda Berry, who led the Big Ten in rebounds in 1988-89, and Lisa Long (1987).

The team comprised an overall record of 105-18, with a Big Ten record of 65-7 during those years. Though they led the Big Ten in scoring in 1987-88, it was the team defense that set the Hawkeyes apart throughout the four-year span. Iowa was the best in the conference in both turnover margin and scoring defense each year, and twice held opponents to the lowest shooting percentage.

Big Ten 25 Years of Women's Championships

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