There were a lot of talented players on the Iowa State Cyclones women’s basketball team during the 2025-26 season.

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to put it all together on the court. A midseason swoon was never recovered from, with an early exit in the Big 12 tournament being followed by a defeat at the hands of the Syracuse Orange in the Round of 64 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

When the season concluded, nine out of 12 players on the team decided to enter the transfer portal. Only Arianna Jackson, Evangelina Paulk and Freya Jensen are returning to Ames for the 2026-27 season.

That was a lot of talent to depart, with former Cyclones ending up on different teams around the country.…