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Iowa WBB Portal Checklist: Breaking Down Every Position Need

On3 imageby: Kyle Huesmann04/12/26HuesmannKyle

For quite some time, it seemed like the Iowa Women’s Basketball program might be immune to departures through the transfer portal. However, as we’ve found out, no program can run from the portal. Eventually there will be losses and they’ve hit the Hawkeyes this season, with five players entering their names alongside over 1,300 other players that are looking for a new home.

For the first time since the portal became commonplace, major additions to the Hawkeyes roster are needed, but they’ve gotten on the board with a commitment from Georgia guard Dani Carnegie. As it currently stands, Jan Jensen and her staff are now up to seven players on the 2026-27 roster. They have a solid returning core, with four of their top six scorers back, led by future All-American center Ava Heiden. Still, if Iowa is going to compete for a Big Ten title and get back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2024, they’ll need a bit more than seven players.

Current Roster (6)

Departures (9)

  • G Taylor McCabe (Graduation)
  • G Kylie Feuerbach (Graduation)
  • PF Hannah Stuelke (Graduation)
  • F Jada Gyamfi (Graduation)
  • G Addie Deal (Transfer Portal)
  • G Callie Levin (Transfer Portal)
  • G Kennise Johnson (Transfer Portal)
  • SF Emely Rodriguez (Transfer Portal)
  • F Teagan Mallegni (Transfer Portal)

HawkeyeReport breaks down the top needs for the Hawkeyes and what positions need to be filled…

COMPLETE: An off-ball guard that can be plug-and-play in the starting lineup

Georgia guard Dani Carnegie – Talk about a big-time addition. One of the best available players in the portal and she will be a Hawkeye next season. Rated as the #6 player in the portal by ESPN, Carnegie was a First Team All-SEC selection for the Bulldogs, averaging 17.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Not only does she fit the plug-and-play guard spot, but her 84 made threes were sixth-most in the SEC. Three-point shooting was a major need. She’s got the ability to attack the paint off the dribble, which was something Iowa lacked at times last season. This is an A+ addition by the coaching staff.

LINK: PORTAL TARGET BREAKDOWN: Georgia guard Dani Carnegie

1. Two reliable contributors in the backcourt, including one three-point shooter

Status: OPEN

The Hawkeyes might just have their starting backcourt, with Chit-Chat Wright, Dani Carnegie and Taylor Stremlow, but then again, maybe not. The coaching staff could look to add a player capable of starting at the 3, with a bit more height than Stremlow (5’10), but either way, they still need valuable contributors to come off the bench. Currently, they don’t have any other guards on the roster. Between those three, that’s a combined 199 made triples this past season, so they’re off to a great start, but it is worth noting that Carnegie shot 35.4% from behind the arc. Personally, I think one more reliable shooter that can knock it down at a 38-40% clip would really make them a strong three-point shooting team next season.

However, once you move to the bench, you’re starting to get into the depths of the roster building and these players can fit whatever role the coaching staff feels is necessary. This could be another ball handler, another off-ball guard or a small forward/wing. That being said, one of those additions is likely to get a minutes share similar to what Taylor Stremlow did prior to moving into the starting lineup, averaging in the range of 20-22 minutes a game. The other addition might fill a similar role, minutes wise, to what we saw from Addie Deal this past season. Oklahoma State transfer Amari Whiting and Western Illinois transfer Raegan McCowan are names to watch, as they have both set up visits to Iowa City.

2. A starter-caliber power forward

Status: OPEN

It will be really interesting to see how the coaching staff attacks this position and what portal names emerge. The Hawkeyes are set to bring in five-star forward McKenna Woliczko, and while she could come in and be the day one starter, we continue to hold the belief that a starter-caliber power forward to push for the starting job should be the aim here. With Hannah Stuelke and Teagan Mallegni gone and Journey Houston likely set to slide over to play the perimeter more at the 3, there’s currently no one to play the 4 with Woliczko, so an addition of some kind is needed. Can they convince a young forward to join with Woliczko being a potential three or four-year starter? Can they convince a veteran forward to join and possibly come off the bench?

3. Depth pieces to fill out an 11-12 player roster

Status: OPEN

It seems to be very likely that next year’s roster will only have 11 or 12 players on it and it will still take 4-5 more portal additions to get to that number. The coaching staff can check all the above boxes with flying colors, and these remaining spots will still have a bit more importance than you’d think. Looking back at last season, Taylor McCabe (14), Kylie Feuerbach (3), Chit-Chat Wright (3) and Hannah Stuelke (2) all missed games due to injury, as did Teagan Mallegni. It’s unlikely that the player that’s 11th or 12th on the roster gets any notable minutes, but it’s not impossible. The coaching staff has to get the roster to at least 11 players, but 12 players would be more comfortable.

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