Editor’s note: This article was updated as of Dec. 28, 2017 to correct the spelling of “Stacy” from “Stacey”.

Stacy Frese doesn’t have a problem addressing her sister Brenda, who is also her assistant coach on the Iowa State women’s basketball team.

“I call her coach,” Stacy said, who is expected to start at point guard for the Cyclones this season after transferring from Iowa.

Stacy and Brenda found themselves in this unusual situation after Stacy decided to transfer to ISU two years ago to play ball.

Stacy was forced to sit out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, but has three seasons of eligibility left.

Sitting out for a season is especially tough for any athlete, and this was no different for Stacy last season, she said.

Stacy did, however, have some guidance from a sister who went through a similar situation during her college career. Brenda sat out her final season at Arizona after experiencing various foot injuries.

“I found myself in many situations where I was having to pump her up and keep things positive last season,” Brenda said. “We had a lot of sister-to-sister talks.”

Brenda, who is starting her third season on Bill Fennelly’s staff, said coaching Stacy will not be all that new to her.

After youth-league basketball games, Stacy used to seek pointers from Brenda.

“The game would end and she’d say ‘what did you think positive, what did you think negative’,” Brenda said.

“She’s always wanted the feedback just to become a better player. It’s a sister-sister relationship, but at times it’s also been a player-coach relationship, even before we were in this situation,” Brenda added.

Player-coach relationships involving family members can be testy at times. That is a situation Stacy says she wants to avoid.

“We make sure that we keep everything that happens on the court, on the court,” she said. “Once we step off the court, then we’re sisters again.”

Stacy fills a much-needed position for ISU in the backcourt, since the departure of last season’s starting guards Tara Gunderson and Kim Martin.

Gunderson was named honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference last season after averaging 11.1 points and 4.7 assists per game.

“It’s nice to lose a Tara Gunderson and know that Stacy Frese is right there to take over,” Fennelly said. “That’s a very good feeling, no doubt about it.”

Stacy played in 30 of 31 games as a true freshman for a Hawkeye squad that advanced to the Final 16 round of the NCAA Tournament two seasons ago. She averaged 3.5 points and two assists and 12.7 minutes per game.

“[Stacy] has some college experience, she knows our system and she works hard,” Fennelly said. “She brings to our program exactly what we need.”

Stacy’s familiarity with the ISU team extends further than her relationship with Brenda.

Stacy and sophomore guard Amanda Bartz played on the 1995 Iowa Class 4-A state championship basketball team at Cedar Rapids Washington. Frese was a senior on the team and Bartz was a junior.

Bartz said adding Stacy to the team will be nothing but a plus.

“Stacy brings a lot of leadership to the team, even though she is only a sophomore,” she said. “That will help us out a lot.”