Cancer survivor designs Nike shoes for Iowa women’s basketball
Before its run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Iowa women's basketball received specially-designed Nike shoes from a young cancer survivor.
Before its run in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Iowa women's basketball (26-6, 15-3 Big Ten) received specially-designed Nike shoes from one of its biggest fans in young cancer survivor, Harper Stribe. On Sunday night, before the excitement of the NCAA Selection Show, Iowa head coach Jan Jensen welcomed Stribe to the team's viewing party. Stribe then presented each member of the Hawkeyes' squad with the unique pair of shoes.
Harper has been side-by-side with the Hawkeyes ever since the program first heard her story back in the Megan Gustafson-Tania Davis era. Diagnosed with cancer when she was only 5 years old, Stribe was in the UI Stead Family Children's Hospital in Iowa City when she first met some Iowa women's basketball players. Wanna pair of these sweet Nike by Harper kicks?!
👟Well you’re in luck, because now you can have ‘em! 😎We love ya, Harper! Thx for designing my new favorite shoes😉 https://t.
co/oCWpxofiNQ — Jan Jensen (@goiowa) March 18, 2026 "This goes way back", Jensen told CBS 2's Owen Siebring . "We heard about this little gal who was in the hospital battling cancer. And the neatest thing about the young women we coach: they didn't just go when the request was made, they continued on their own.