ISU women’s basketball coach, Bill Fennelly, is statistically one of the most successful coaches to coach in Ames. When the Cyclones started the Big 12 conference season 0-5 last year, there were doubts that the team would earn a berth to the postseason.

After a second-half turnaround and just two losses in the month of February, the team advanced to its sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Fennelly enters his 25th season at the helm, after finishing 18-13 last year and has just one losing season out of the previous 24.

Senior Chelsea Poppens returns following her breakout season in her junior campaign. The Applington, Iowa, native averaged 14.2 points per game and 10.6 rebounds en route to her unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection and All-America honorable mention. She also led the conference in rebounds over Baylor’s NCAA Player of the Year, Brittney Griner.

Iowa State also will return All-Big 12 Freshman Team point guard Nikki Moody, who averaged 10 points per game and set the ISU assists record with 133. Along with Moody and Poppens, the Cyclones return with junior Hallie Christofferson, who averaged 10.2 points per game, and 6’8″ senior Anna Prins who, despite battling injuries, was able to average almost eight points per game and pulled down 109 rebounds. 

The Cyclones will be without last year’s seniors, Lauren Mansfield and Chassidy Cole. Australian native Mansfield came to Iowa State in 2010 as a transfer from Midland College in Texas and started 61 of 64 career games for the cardinal and gold.

Cole transferred to Iowa State in 2009 and, after starting just 16 games her first two seasons, made 18 starts in 2011. Cole served as her team’s go-to on defense and was often given the task of guarding the opponent’s best player.

Iowa State’s season will open in November with all home games being played at the Hilton Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased individually, but for students who also enjoy wrestling, volleyball or gymnastics, the $30 Cy’s Pass allows for admission into all four sports.