Iowa State Basketball Lands Commit From Elite Class of 2027 Guard

An Iowa guard in the Class of 2027 has committed to the Iowa State Cyclones.

Bishop Heelan's Melina Snoozy (23) runs across the baseline on defense on March 3, 2026, at Casey’s Center in Des Moines. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This offseason has been an incredibly difficult one for the Iowa State Cyclones women’s basketball team.

Head coach Bill Fennelly is dealing with a lot of departures from the 2025-26 roster. Only three players who were on the team when they got eliminated by the Syracuse Orange in the Round of 64 in the 2026 NCAA Tournament are coming back: Arianna Jackson, Evangelina Paulk and Freya Jensen.

Nine players hit the transfer portal, including star center Audi Crooks, forward Addy Brown and guard Jada Williams. Williams has found a new home with the LSU Tigers, while the others are still evaluating where they want to continue their collegiate careers.

That means there are a lot of opportunities for players to seize huge roles not only this upcoming season, but also in years to come. It could have been a selling point that helped bring in Melina Snoozy.

Iowa State secures commitment from Melina Snoozy

Bishop Heelan's Melina Snoozy (23) places Bishop Heelan in the Class 4A state semi-finals on March 3, 2026, at Casey’s Center in Des Moines. | Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A guard from Bishop Heelan in the Class of 2027, she has committed to the Cyclones. A highly-touted in-state recruit, she is considered a top-five player in Iowa for her two-way ability.

She announced the decision on her X account, with a short video that includes her donning the cardinal and gold Iowa State uniform.

so excited to continue my athletic and academic career in ames ❤️🌪️@CycloneWBB pic.twitter.com/wpxtFDm0iA

— Melina Snoozy (@MelinaSnoozy1) April 19, 2026

Snoozy was dominant during her junior year, averaging over 20 points per game and pulling down 8.1 rebounds per game, which was a career high. She helped lead Bishop Heelan to a 24-1 record.

All of that production and team success led to her being named SCJ Girls’ Basketball Large School All-Area Team Player of the Year. That is just another accolade added to her impressive resume that includes a three-time first-team all-starter.

Fennelly and the Cyclones are adding quite a building block to the program, a huge win after seeing so much talent depart Ames in recent weeks. Snoozy has the skill set to come in and contribute as a freshman immediately once she is on campus for the 2027-28 season.

SCJ Girls Basketball Large School All-Area Team Player of the Year | Bishop Heelan's Melina Snoozy

A 3-time first team all-stater, Snoozy's junior year saw her average over 20 points a game while grabbing a career-best 8.1 rebounds per game as Heelan went 24-1.#iahsbkb pic.twitter.com/ym2u5upzDv

— Ryan Timmerman (@ryantimmerman3) April 18, 2026

The roster will assuredly look a lot different at that time, but there will probably be a ton of playing time available for her right off the bat. The two guards who have been added in the transfer portal during this year’s window, Mya Babbitt and Ashleigh Connor, are both entering their senior years.

Players with more than one year of eligibility can still be added to the mix, as there is plenty of work remaining to be done with the roster. But knowing that Snoozy will be part of the mix starting in 2027 is a huge boost for the Cyclones.