Three Iowa WBB Who Could Leave in Transfer Portal

With the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball season over, it’s time to look ahead to what the roster is going to look like next year. With that exercise comes the unfortunate reality that some of the players on the team are going to utilize the transfer portal to find a new home that’s not Iowa City.

That could potentially mean saying goodbye to some familiar faces who contributed to the Hawkeyes’ overall productive season.

It is important to note that the portal has yet to open — players will be able to enter the portal on April 6 — and no Iowa player has announced an intent to transfer just yet. There’s no doubt that could change in the near future as many other collegiate athletes across the country plan to enter the portal the second it opens in just a couple of weeks.

Overall, it’s not expected that Iowa’s roster will be raided by opposing teams. A good chunk of this team could be major contributors for the Hawkeyes next season. Still, it’s reasonable to speculate on whether some could pursue opportunities elsewhere.

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Mar 7, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Journey Houston (8) shoots the ball against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

If sophomore guard Taylor Stremlow wants to become one of Iowa’s premier scorers next season, she can absolutely do it. If she wants a fresh chance elsewhere, there’s bound to be plenty of schools that would appreciate her services.

Stremlow started 18 games for the Hawkeyes this season, averaging 7.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. She vastly improved her accuracy from beyond the arc from her freshman campaign — she shot 30.8% during the 2024-25 season compared to 37.1% this season — and also improved her defense with 1.2 steals a contest. She’s a capable player who will for sure be a staple of the Hawkeyes lineup, so long as she decides to stick around.

The same logic applies to a slew of other guards like Journey Houston, a freshman from Davenport, and Addie Deal. It’s unlikely that Houston, who’s a native of the state and had a fine season in her first year in college basketball, would decide to depart, though it can’t be ruled out completely.

Ditto for Deal, who had a productive year in limited action and could be a big piece of a contender next season. But that finite playing time could lead a player to look elsewhere for opportunities. Could the allure of a starting gig somewhere else sway Houston and Deal to leave Iowa City? Perhaps, though it’s hard to forecast that at this exact moment.

Regardless, the Hawkeyes and head coach Jan Jensen will be doing everything in their power to retain as much of this roster as possible. This group had a tremendous year that ended prematurely. If it can stick together and build on this experience, there’s no telling how far it can go in the future.

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