Iowa
Could UCF’s Emely Rodriguez fill final transfer-portal need for Iowa women’s basketball?
Video: Iowa coach Jan Jensen talks Caitlin Clark’s return to Carver and more
Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen speaks with media at a Polk County I-Club event on April 30, 2025.
In a recent one-on-one interview with the Des Moines Register, Iowa women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen outlined her ideal next addition via the NCAA transfer portal.
“If we added some type of forward, just with our depth, that’d be great,” Jensen said, adding that she would prefer a “scoring forward” ideally.
With Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright already in the fold – “the piece we needed,” Jensen said of the point-guard transfer from Georgia Tech with three years eligibility remaining − the Hawkeyes understand that front-court depth could still be an issue, especially after losing starting forward Sydney Affolter to graduation.
A potential solution is on the horizon.
Central Florida freshman Emely Rodriguez will make an official visit to Iowa on May 12, a source with direct knowledge of her recruitment confirmed to the Register.
Rodriguez is a 6-foot guard/forward who averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season at UCF. She made the All-Big 12 Conference freshman team and has three years of eligibility remaining.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Rodriguez started 19 times in 25 games (she missed five with an injury) as UCF struggled to a 12-18 season. She averaged 26.4 minutes and scored in double figures 16 times for UCF. Rodriguez shot 40.9% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range (15-for-45).
She has some size and would potentially serve as a backup to Kylie Feuerbach or Hannah Stuelke, who Jensen wants to move to the “4” position entering her senior year. That would allow Jensen to rotate rising sophomore Ava Heiden and incoming 6-5 freshman Layla Hays at the “5” spot. Jensen wants Iowa to play bigger in 2025-26. The Hawkeyes finished 23-11 last season, with their only double-digit loss being by a 96-62 score to Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa got outrebounded, 64-33, in that game.
If Iowa could land Rodriguez, that would also provide more flexibility with the development of 6-foot forward Teagan Mallegni, who had immense promise as a freshman but struggled from 3-point range. Iowa is trying to figure out whether Mallegni is a better fit at the “3” or “4” position, and adding Rodriguez and seeing what she brings to the table could help that shake out.
Iowa has 13 scholarship players in the fold for the 2025-26 – four seniors (Stuelke, Feuerbach, Taylor McCabe, Jada Gyamfi), six sophomores (Heiden, Mallegni, Wright, Taylor Stremlow, Callie Levin and Kennise Johnson) and three freshmen (Hays, Addie Deal and Journey Houston) – with a maximum of 15 permitted.
Iowa
Two Iowans sentenced to prison for creating child pornography
Child abuse: What signs to watch for if you suspect it
Child abuse includes physical, sexual, emotional and medical abuse, as well as neglect. Learn about signs, risk factors, how to get help.
Wochit, Wochit
Two Iowans will spend decades in federal prison after pleading guilty to separate child exploitation offenses.
Martin Menjivar, 59, of Iowa City, was sentenced Thursday, March 26, to 42 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and child pornography possession. It comes days after Pry’Shayn Mosley, 21, of Fort Dodge was sentenced to 25 years for exploitation and receipt of child pornography.
Iowa City man picked up children from school, abused them
Menjivar, a citizen of Honduras, was charged in May 2025. In court filings, prosecutors say Menjivar was entrusted to pick up children, some as young as 5, from their elementary school and bring them to his wife’s home for after-school babysitting. In at least two cases, Mejivar used that access to get children alone and touch them inappropriately, recording the interaction on video.
Investigators reportedly found dozens of illicit images and videos on Menjivar’s electronic devices. Menjivar also previously worked as a school photographer in Honduras, and investigators found he had hundreds of photos from his former employment that focused on children’s clothed genitals.
“Defendant’s horrific actions of creating and collecting child pornography show violence against young, vulnerable children and a severe danger to the community,” prosecutors wrote in presentence filings.
Menjivar also has been charged in Johnson County with second-degree sexual abuse against two different children, apparently in relation to the same conduct. That case remains pending, with a plea hearing scheduled in May.
Fort Dodge man gets 25 years for enticing children
Mosley, who was sentenced March 23, was charged in January 2025. Prosecutors alleged that in 2022, he enticed two minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct, photographed or recorded it, and distributed the resulting pornography to others, including additional children.
In addition, during a warrant search that located drugs, guns and electronic devices containing child pornography, Mosley tried to get a juvenile at the scene to conceal drugs from the investigators.
Mosley pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and receiving child pornography. Additional drug, pornography and exploitation charges were dismissed as part of a plea deal.
Menjivar was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, while Mosley’s case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa. Attorneys for Menjivar and Mosley did not immediately return messages Thursday seeking comment.
William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.
Iowa
Jada Williams among eight Iowa State players headed to transfer portal
Audi Crooks, Jada Williams reflect on loss to Syracuse
Iowa State’s Audi Crooks and Jada Williams discuss what went wrong in the second half for the Cyclones’ to fall to Syracuse.
Iowa State’s first-round exit from the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament has triggered a mass exodus, with a reported eight players leaving the team to enter the transfer portal.
Junior forward Addy Brown announced her decision to “move on” from Iowa State and enter the transfer portal in a social media post on Tuesday, March 24.
“This decision comes after a lot of thought about my future and goals,” Brown wrote in a post shared to social media. “While it’s never easy to move on, I believe this is the right step for me and I’m excited for what’s ahead as I continue to grow and chase my dreams.”
By Thursday, March. 26, several other players followed suit. Junior guard Jada Williams confirmed she’ll be “pursuing my dreams elsewhere” for her senior season. She added in a social media post, “Iowa State will always have a place in my heart and I’ll never forget the Iowa State way.”
Williams transferred to Iowa State for the 2025-26 season after playing for Arizona for the first two years of her career. William averaged career-highs in points (15.3), assists (7.7) and field goal percentage (41.7) in her lone season at Iowa State.
Iowa State freshman guard Reese Beaty, freshman guard Freya Jensen, sophomore guard Reagan Wilson, sophomore guard Aili Tanke, junior forward Alisa Williams and junior center Lilly Taulelei all intend to enter the transfer portal, according to On3’s Talia Goodman.
The transfer portal opens on Monday, April 6, following the NCAA Tournament championship game on Sunday, April 5.
Could Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks be next? Crooks declined to answer whether she would return next season following Iowa State’s 72-63 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, March 21. She instead said, “We’re all still processing everything and just being there for each other right now is the priority. That’s the main thing, making sure everybody is mentally OK through this tough time.”
Crooks had 37 points (17-of-25 FG) and five rebounds in the losing effort against Syracuse.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@usatoday.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
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Iowa
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