IOWA CITY — In an era that requires more yearly roster reconstruction than ever before, even Iowa women’s basketball couldn’t escape a wave of transfer-portal departures.
While the Hawkeyes’ entries are far less concerning than what numerous programs around the country are dealing with, pairing those exits with Iowa’s four departing seniors — Hannah Stuelke, Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach and Jada Gyamfi — creates plenty of roster shuffling ahead of Jan Jensen’s third season as head coach.
Juniors-to-be Ava Heiden, Chit-Chat Wright and Taylor Stremlow — along with sophomores-to-be Journey Houston and Layla Hays — will return after helping Iowa win 27 games and earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Five-star incoming freshman McKenna Woliczko rounds out a strong nucleus to add around despite Iowa’s five portal entries.
With several names likely joining in the coming weeks, here’s an updated roster tracker highlighting all portal visits, additions and subtractions.
Iowa women’s basketball additions through the transfer portal
Amari Whiting: A veteran guard who’s started nearly 100 games in her career, Whiting brings a defensive intensity Iowa needs after graduating Kylie Feuerbach. Her April 15 commitment arrived after Whiting visited Iowa City the weekend prior, giving the Hawkeyes a great portal start barely a week after it officially opened.
Dani Carnegie: Iowa first portal commitment is big, with the Hawkeyes bringing in the first-team all-SEC guard from down south who averaged 17 ppg last season. Carnegie anchored the Bulldogs as a sophomore but also had a freshman connection to two current Hawkeyes. Carnegie was teammates with Chit-Chat Wright and played under assistant LaSondra Barrett during her first season at Georgia Tech. Although she’s on her third school in three seasons, both of Carnegie’s portal entries came after coaching changes. The Hawkeyes are off to a good start with this one.
Iowa women’s basketball transfer-portal visit updates
April 9, Iowa set for a busy first portal weekend: Less than a week after the portal officially opened on April 6, Iowa women’s basketball is off and running. This first weekend will include visits from Georgia combo guard Dani Carnegie and Oklahoma State guard Amari Whiting, sources close to the situation confirmed to the Register after initial reports indicated the same.
Carnegie will arrive on campus April 10 after averaging 17.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 3.2 apg last season en route to first-team All-SEC honors. Landing this 5-foot-9 guard, who entered the portal once Georgia parted ways with head coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson, would make a significant splash. But the competition will be thick with Carnegie having two years of eligibility remaining.
This will technically be Carnegie’s second visit to Iowa City in less than a month after her lone Georgia season ended with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Virginia in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 21. Carnegie spent her freshman year at Georgia Tech, where she was teammates with Wright and played under current Iowa assistant LaSondra Barrett.
Whiting averaged 9.6 ppg for an Oklahoma State team that made the NCAA Tournament but still had a massive portal exodus. Whiting spent her first two seasons at BYU, meaning both players visiting this first weekend either faced Iowa or played in Iowa City the last two seasons. Whiting had 11 points in 26 minutes against the Hawkeyes at the 2024 Cancun Challenge.
Lindenwood transfer guard Ellie Brueggemann was initially scheduled to visit as well, but she no longer will after announcing her Oklahoma State commitment on April 10.
Iowa women’s basketball outgoing transfers
Addie Deal: After just one season in Iowa City, the former five-star prospect announced her intention to leave on March 30 and officially entered the transfer portal the first day it opened on April 6. This was really Iowa’s only eyebrow-raising departure given her recruiting status, but the Hawkeyes should be able to account for her absence after Deal delivered an up-and-down freshman campaign. Deal announced April 15 she’s heading to Wisconsin.
Emely Rodriguez: After last appearing for Iowa on Nov. 22, Rodriguez’s portal decision was inevitable. It was no surprise to see her officially entered the first day it opened on April 6. A back injury that wavered in severity ultimately kept Rodriguez on the bench for the bulk of her lone season in Iowa City, after she joined the Hawkeyes out of the portal from UCF last offseason.
Teagan Mallegni: An ankle injury suffered in the exhibition game, coupled with a tonsilitis surgery in late November, derailed Mallegni’s sophomore campaign before it ever really started. She averaged 5.5 minutes per game this past season while appearing in just 15 contests, offering up an indication that her portal entry is in search of more playing time elsewhere. After entering the portal the day it opened on April 6, Mallegni has since transferred to Wisconsin. The Badgers announced that move April 18.
Callie Levin: Levin announced her intentions to leave on March 30 and officially entered the portal the first day it opened on April 6. A 5-foot-9 guard from up the road in Solon, Levin averaged 5.9 minutes and 1.2 points per game while appearing in 19 contests. Her role as an energy-option off the bench increased some in her second collegiate season, but it appears this portal entry is a search for more minutes elsewhere. Levin announced April 10 she is heading to UNI.
Kennise Johnson: Johnson announced her intention to leave on March 27 and officially entered the portal the first day it opened on April 6. Originally a class of 2023 prospect from outside Chicago, Johnson joined the Hawkeyes while Iowa sported a loaded backcourt ahead of its 2024 Final Four run. An ACL tear toward the end of her freshman season sidelined Johnson for the entire 2024-25 campaign, and she has struggled to stay healthy since. The 5-foot-4 guard appeared in just 20 games with the Hawkeyes.
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Tracking Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal adds, visits, departures
Reporting by Dargan Southard, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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