Emily Ryan has been promoted to assistant coach for the Iowa State women’s basketball team. Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly announced the move in a May 21 news release.
Ryan spent the 2025-26 season as an Iowa State graduate assistant following a record-breaking five-year career as the Cyclones’ point guard.
Fennelly’s staff saw two departures since the end of the 2025-26 season, as associate head coach Jodi Steyer retired and assistant coach Latoja Schaben took a job at Texas State.
Caroline McCombs was recently named associate head coach, so Ryan’s promotion fills the vacancy left by Schaben’s exit.
“Emily made a tremendous impact on our program as a player and that will continue as a coach,” Fennelly said in the release. “Emily’s loyalty and commitment to Iowa State women’s basketball has been truly special. Our players will be learning the Iowa State Way from one of the best Cyclones ever!”
Ryan mentored Cyclone point guards last season. She finished her playing career as one of the best point guards in Iowa State history, recording top-five all-time marks in assists, steals and blocks. The Claflin, Kansas, native set the program record for assists and ranked seventh all-time in NCAA women’s basketball history with 993 assists at the time of her graduation.
The ISU sports information department contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women’s basketball promotes Emily Ryan to assistant coach
Reporting by Register staff report, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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