Macey Howes Joined Iowa Women's Tennis Team

The first-year student athlete joins the roster after training at academies in Florida.

Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Tennis

Macey Howes Joined Iowa Women's Tennis Team

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Local Iowa City native Macey Howes has joined the University of Iowa women's tennis team as a first-year student athlete. Her addition is part of a broader roster expansion for the team that includes five freshmen and one transfer student.

Why it matters

Howes transitioned to tennis at age 11 after an eight-year gymnastics career was interrupted by a dangerous fall. She moved to Florida to pursue elite development training, which required balancing seven hours of daily practice with her online schooling.

The Iowa women's tennis team added five freshmen and one transfer athlete to the squad for the current season. This cohort joins a team roster that currently includes five international athletes.

The players

Macey Howes

She is a first-year student athlete at the University of Iowa who previously trained at specialized tennis academies in Florida.

University of Iowa

This is a public research university located in Iowa City that fields various NCAA Division I athletic teams.

Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center

This facility serves as the primary training venue for the University of Iowa tennis program.

The details

Before joining the collegiate program, Howes attended Iowa Connections Academy and trained at tennis academies in Florida to secure advanced coaching. As a junior, she frequently worked with assistant coaches at the Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Center.

Howes began her tennis career at age 11.
The athlete spent 8 years competing in gymnastics.
The University of Iowa tennis roster underwent changes over the past year.
Howes is currently playing her first season at Iowa as of October 2026.

Season Trajectory

The infusion of new talent, including Howes and other freshmen, aims to bolster the program's competitive standing in the upcoming Big Ten season. This roster turnover reflects a strategic shift intended to improve the team's depth and versatility against conference rivals.

The addition of six new athletes significantly reshapes the program's starting rotation and lineup options for upcoming matches. This increase in roster depth allows the coaching staff to utilize more tactical flexibility across both singles and doubles play.

The takeaway

Student athletes frequently relocate to specialized academies to access the intensive training environment necessary for elite-level play. Developing resilience after an injury is often a critical factor in the long-term success of athletes who switch sports later in childhood.