Two More Iowa State Basketball Players Find New Teams in Transfer Portal

Two Iowa State Cyclones players who entered the transfer portal have committed to new programs.

Iowa State Cyclones' Alisa Williams (3) and Lilly Taulelei (9) pose during the university’s women’s basketball media day at Sukup Basketball Complex on Oct. 16, 2025, in Ames, Iowa | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The transfer portal period has been incredibly busy for the Iowa State Cyclones women’s basketball team.

Head coach Bill Fennelly and his staff had their work cut out for them with how many players decided to enter the portal, seeking new opportunities elsewhere. Only three players from the 2025-26 roster, Arianna Jackson, Evangelina Paulk and Freya Jensen, are returning to the team.

Two of the nine players who opted to enter the transfer portal have recently found new teams and committed to programs. As shared by Talia Goodman of On3 on her women’s basketball transfer portal tracker, Aili Tanke and Lilly Taulelei are officially gone from the program.

Tanke, a sophomore from Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa, appeared in 44 games during her Iowa State career, starting six of them. Her role was much bigger as a freshman, playing in 31 games and receiving 12.9 minutes per game compared to her sophomore campaign.

Aili Tanke, Lilly Taulelei find new teams in transfer portal

Iowa State Cyclones' guard Aili Tanke (32) passes the ball over Norther Iowa Panthers guard Mya Nicholson (11) during the fourth quarter on December 14, 2025, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In Year 2 in Ames, she played in only 10 games, averaging 0.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 7.2 minutes per contest.

According to Goodman, she has committed to the Nevada Wolf Pack. Nevada is coming off a difficult season in the West Coast Conference, going 10-21 overall and only 6-14 during league play.

If Tanke was looking for an opportunity to play more frequently, the Wolf Pack could certainly provide it to her, especially with the Power Conference experience she brings along.

Like her teammate, Taulelei is dropping down from a Power Conference in the Big 12 to the Rice Owls of the American Athletic Conference. They are coming off an incredibly impressive campaign, going 29-6 overall with a 17-1 record during league play.

NEWS: Lilly Taulelei has committed to Rice 🦉

The 6’3” junior center averaged 2.6 PPG & 1.0 RPG this season at Iowa State. pic.twitter.com/dEWmRqUT8E

— E J 🏀 (@EJayArrow) April 17, 2026

This is the second time during her collegiate career that Taulelei has entered the transfer portal. The Wellington, New Zealand native played her freshman year with the Massachusetts Minutewomen before transferring and playing two seasons with Iowa State.

She didn’t receive a ton of playing time as the backup to star Audi Crooks, who is also in the transfer portal and weighing her options. Taulelei averaged only 4.9 minutes per game in 43 appearances with the Cyclones.

She scored 1.9 points and grabbed 0.6 rebounds per game. Taulelei can certainly be used as a cautionary tale for players looking to enter the transfer portal, that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

As a freshman, she played in 31 games, starting 22 of them, while averaging 24.2 minutes per game with Massachusetts. She played 751 minutes that season and only 211 in two years with Iowa State combined.