What Happened to Taylor McCabe That Suddenly Changed Iowa’s Season

Taylor McCabe has become a steady presence for Iowa women’s basketball, known for her perimeter shooting and growing role off the bench. As the season progressed, she continued to earn minutes and contribute in key moments, making her sudden absence noticeable almost immediately.

So what happened to Taylor McCabe, and what does it mean for her basketball future? The answers weren’t immediately obvious, leaving fans piecing together what they could from her absence.

As official updates became available, a clearer picture began to form. What’s been confirmed helps explain why she’s off the court now, while also raising longer-term questions about recovery, timing, and what comes next beyond this season.

According to an official announcement from the Iowa Hawkeyes on Jan. 25, 2026, Taylor suffered a season-ending knee injury that will require surgery. The university confirmed she would miss the remainder of the season while focusing on recovery and rehabilitation.

The announcement did not specify the exact moment of injury beyond confirming it occurred during game action and was a torn ACL. Iowa emphasized support for Taylor as she begins the recovery process.

An ACL tear is considered one of the most serious injuries for basketball players, typically requiring surgery followed by months of rehabilitation before a return to competition.

This was her senior season, so this is officially the end of her WNBA career. She said, "This isn't how I imagined my senior season ending, but adversity has always been part of the game." She is going out with a bang as one of the best 3-point shooters in the program's history.

The timing of Taylor’s injury drew additional attention because it came less than two hours before her sister, Peyton McCabe, was also injured while playing for Drake. While the injuries were unrelated, the coincidence added an emotional layer to the news for fans following both programs.

Taylor’s absence reduces Iowa’s depth at guard, particularly in spacing and perimeter shooting. While her role varied from game to game, she provided flexibility off the bench and had become part of the team’s rotation as the season progressed.

Iowa has not announced changes to its lineup structure tied specifically to her injury at the time of this writing.

From a broader perspective, the focus now shifts to Taylor’s recovery timeline rather than short-term impact. She is expected to graduate in May 2026 with a civil engineering degree and plans to pursue a graduate assistant position in women’s basketball to help earn her postgraduate degree.

Taylor’s season ended sooner than anyone expected, closing the final chapter of her college career in an abrupt and difficult way. With her senior year cut short, the focus now shifts away from lineups and minutes and toward recovery and perspective. For Iowa, it’s a loss that reshapes the season. For Taylor, it marks a moment that redefines how her time in the game is remembered, not by how it ended, but by what she gave while she was there.