Iowa women’s basketball target Kate Harpring recognized among ESPN’s summer standouts

One of the names that has emerged on Iowa’s recruiting board is talented 2026 guard Kate Harpring.

Harpring picked up an offer from Jan Jensen and the Iowa Hawkeyes earlier this week after a standout showing in the Select Events’ Midwest Summer Classic in Ohio.

Harpring also turned some heads with ESPNW as well.

ESPN’s Shane Laflin included Iowa target Kate Harpring among his five summer standouts thus far.

Harpring has developed into an elite point guard in the past calendar year. Her competitiveness has always been a noticeable marker when she steps on the floor, but she has added consistent skill and game management precision to her résumé. She is going to be one of the most coveted players in the class, which will lead to an extremely competitive recruiting battle.
The daughter of NBA veteran Matt Harpring, she brings a savviness and grittiness to the floor that not many players have. She has bounce in her base along with speed and quickness all over the court. She defends ferociously and will guard the opponent’s best player regardless of position. She has added wiggle right to left and left to right and is coupling that with elusiveness in small spaces, which makes her very hard stay in front of defensively. Her pull-up jumper is consistent, and her 3-point shooting is taking shape. Sometimes it takes a while for a jump shooter to find their rhythm from the 3-point line. In the meantime, her takes to the rim are effective, and she lives at the free throw line.

Most importantly, as a point guard, she maps the floor well, leads by example with her voice and makes her teammates better. – Laflin, ESPN.

As Jan Jensen and Iowa look to keep the Hawkeyes rolling well into the future, Harpring is the type of talent that keep Iowa at the forefront of women’s college basketball.

Harpring is ranked as the No. 18 player nationally in the 2026 class per ESPN. Prep Girl Hoops rates Harpring as the No. 1 player in the state of Georgia.

Harpring averaged 27.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game last season with Marist School in Georgia as she led the War Eagles to the Class 6A state championship. In the War Eagles’ overtime semifinal win over River Ridge, Harpring erupted for 45 points. Then, she followed it up with 27 points in the 67-48 title game victory over North Forsyth.

Harpring also impressed at USA Basketball trials back in May where she was one of the 22 finalists for the U17 National Team.