Iowa Guard Becomes First Hawkeye in Transfer Portal

The first transfer portal domino for the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team has officially fallen. According to Talia Goodman at On3, junior Hawkeyes guard Kennise Johnson plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens at the conclusion of the college basketball season on April 7. She is the first Iowa player to announce her intention to enter the portal so far this offseason.

Johnson, who’s been with the program for three seasons, played in just six games this past year. She scored just points throughout those contests, both of which came in a 100-58 win over Drake on Nov. 13. She also appeared in Iowa victories over Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, Rutgers, Lindenwood and Wisconsin.

NEWS: Iowa’s Kennise Johnson plans to enter the transfer portal, she told @On3.

The 5-4 junior appeared in six games this season.

TRACKER: https://t.co/wYv1Ze6704 pic.twitter.com/1HTkpCRfFE
— Talia Goodman (@TaliaGoodmanWBB) March 27, 2026

The 5’4’’ native of Joliet, Illinois, never really found her footing in a Hawkeye uniform. She appeared in 14 games during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 0.5 points and 2.9 minutes a game. Johnson didn’t appear in a game throughout the entirety of the 2024-25 season before coming back for her junior year. In total, Johnson scored nine points throughout her three years in Iowa City. She’ll now be looking to conclude her collegiate career elsewhere, presumably where she can acquire more playing time on the court.

Tough Roster Conversations Are on the Horizon

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Jan Jense — Iowa head coach Jan Jensen reacts late in double overtime against the Virginia Cavaliers March 23, 2026 during a Round of 32 NCAA March Madness game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There’s no doubt that Iowa’s season ended prematurely. Any talk of the transfer portal was supposed to wait until at least next week after the team concluded its run in the NCAA Tournament. Alas, it was not meant to be, as the Hawkeyes fell to No. 10 Virginia in the second round on home soil.

As such, the tough conversations regarding the roster are having to be done now, with Johnson’s exit being the first of who knows how many departures. There are bound to be additions, too, but those will likely come once the portal officially opens in a couple of weeks. For now, all that can be said is that Johnson will be gone and the Hawkeyes and head coach Jan Jensen will have to find a way to replace her.

What’s Next for Iowa Women’s Basketball?

While the men’s team soars through to the Elite Eight, the women are preparing to do the exact same thing next season. The transfer portal is set to open on April 7, the first big milestone of the offseason. It’ll be there that Jensen and company will be able to solidify the roster ahead of an important 2026-27 run.

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