Iowa Women's Basketball Lands Intriguing Transfer Portal Addition

The Hawkeyes have made their second addition in the Transfer Portal from the Southeast.

Dec 20, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Jan Jensen reacts during the first quarter against the Northern Iowa Panthers at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team made a new addition to the squad Monday morning, signing All-Big 12 freshman standout Emely Rodriguez from UCF.

According to Hawk Central, Rodriguez figures to serve as a crucial depth piece in the Hawkeyes’ rotation. Rodriguez, a 6-footer who has the ball skills to play guard and the presence underneath to play for rebounds, has an intriguing skillset to monitor as her new career in Iowa unfolds. Still, fans can expect to see her primarily assisting under the rim in 2025.

“She is a skilled, versatile, and strong guard that can score on every level and has a great defensive presence,” Iowa head coach Jan Jensen said in a news release concerning Rodriguez’s addition. “Her versatility will also give us increased depth, and our fans will enjoy watching her skill set.”

Last season, Rodriguez averaged 5.3 rebounds per game. That’s nearly the margin Iowa outrebounded its opponents en route to a 23-11 record. Jensen expressed recently that she wants to continue to develop Iowa’s presence on the boards and the size added by Rodriguez plays well into that.

As a shooter, Rodriguez still has plenty of room to develop. While she averaged 11.9 points per game for the Knights, she shot just 40.9% from the floor. Still, her promise shines with her consistency from the free-throw line, where she shot 75.3%, and from deep range, where she shot 33.3%

Rodriquez carries an interesting story that led her to Iowa. She was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the United States in Miami in 2021 to pursue her basketball aspirations. She earned the Miami Herald's Miami-Dade County Girls' Basketball Player of the Year after averaging 26.5 points, 15.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

Rodriguez makes for the second transfer from the Southeast to Iowa alongside Chazadi "Chit-Chat" Wright from Georgia Tech. Iowa now has 14 scholarship players, 10 of whom are sophomores or younger, including both Transfer Portal additions.