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19 F or University of Iowa women's basketball sophomore Hannah Stewart, returning to the five position feels like coming home. Aer spending her freshman campaign transitioning to the four position, Stewart is back in her element and has become a reliable source to a young Hawkeye lineup. "Hannah has been a bright spot for us," said UI head coach Lisa Bluder. "She's been playing so well. We were trying to make her a four, and it just wasn't working. She wasn't comfortable. Once we moved her back to the five it was almost like a relief to her. She feels comfortable down there, and she's giving us great minutes at the five position." In 12 games and 27 minutes of playing time last season, Stewart netted just five points and pulled eight rebounds. is season, the Minot, North Dakota, native is averaging 8.0 points per game — the fourth- highest average on the team — and 3.1 rebounds per game. Stewart credits the year of experience to her added production on the court. "I think everyone would agree that the transition from your freshman year to your sophomore year is completely different," said Stewart. "I've just had more confidence. I know what I'm doing, I know our offense, and I know our defense. I know how our coaches work, and I know my teammates better than I did last year. I also have more of a leadership role now, and I think that all plays into the results on the court this season." She is quick to give credit to her post teammates — Megan Gustafson and Hailey Schneden — for their help during the switch. "It has actually been a pretty smooth transition," said Stewart. "I played the five throughout high school and AAU, so playing the four was a bit different for me. Megan and Hailey have both helped me learn how to play the five in our system. ey've shown me the different techniques that we have. Our five is really versatile, so it's really fun to play." Stewart has scored in double figures in four of Iowa's seven games this season. She reached a career-high 10 points three times (vs. Hampton, vs. Massachusetts, vs. UCLA), before netting a personal-best with 11 points in Iowa's win over James Madison on Nov. 25 in Cancun, Mexico. "I think she has done a good job transitioning to the five," said Gustafson. "I've been trying to help her get to know the plays. She's able to get offensive boards and get good looks. Our guards have done a nice job of setting her up." e Hawkeyes will face all three in-state rivals and the top-ranked team in the NCAA over the next month. While the road ahead won't be easy, Stewart and the Hawkeyes are ready for the challenge. "If we all go out there and compete and play our best, we have a shot at any of the top teams," Stewart said. "e in-state rivalries are always fun to be a part of. I'm excited to go up against them and hopefully come out on top." DECEMBER SCHEDULE Dec. 4 vs. Northern Iowa Dec. 7 vs. Iowa State (Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series) Dec. 9 vs. Robert Morris Dec. 18 at Drake Dec. 20 vs. Kent State Dec. 29 at Illinois Dec. 31 vs. Nebraska