Iowa

Iowa State women’s basketball takeaways: Freshman Aili Tanke gets first collegiate start

Published

1 year ago

November 4, 2024

Iowa State women’s basketball takeaways: Freshman Aili Tanke gets first collegiate start

AMES – Iowa State women’s basketball player Aili Tanke was walking up the ramp at Hilton Coliseum following Sunday’s practice when she bumped into Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly.

Fennelly, who was getting ready to hop in his car, asked Tanke if she was ready for her first collegiate game on Monday.

“I was like, ‘Yeah’ and he was like, ‘Well, good, because you’re starting,’” Tanke said. “My mouth just dropped. I didn’t even think I said anything.”

Tanke was one of the stars of Iowa State’s first show Monday. The former Johnston standout scored 12 points and grabbed three rebounds as the ninth-ranked Cyclones beat Chicago State 96-56 in their season-opening victory at Hilton Coliseum.

“I thought she was fantastic,” Fennelly said.

Tanke, a 5-foot-11 freshman guard, has been that way ever since she stepped foot on campus. She was impressive in workouts leading up to the season. Tanke then turned in a strong showing by tallying 11 points off the bench in Iowa State’s exhibition win over Central.

Fennelly has praised Tanke’s basketball IQ and ability to be in the right spot at the right time. He also loves the consistency she brings to practice. All that factored into her locking up the last remaining starting spot alongside Audi Crooks, Emily Ryan, Arianna Jackson and Addy Brown.

“She just knows what she can do and I think she’s really comfortable playing with the other four that have a little experience,” Fennelly said.

Tanke got the starting nod over some more experienced players. She said she was shocked when Fennelly broke the news to her on Sunday.

“It kind of felt like a dream,” Tanke said. “I honestly didn’t believe it. Like, I was scared to tell people because I was like, what if I just imagined it?”

It was real, though. And Tanke made the most of the opportunity. She connected on two 3-pointers in Iowa State’s 29-0 run to open the game. When it was all said and done, she shot 4-of-5 from the field including 3-of-4 from 3-point range.

“You’ve got to give her credit,” Fennelly said. “When you’re a freshman and you start in this environment, you never know how it’s going to go, and she played really, really well and really smart. And I thought for her first college game, was one that was really good.”

Addy Brown starts strong in season opener

With most of the attention on Crooks this season, Brown has managed to fly under the radar. The sophomore was one of Iowa State’s top contributors last season but was left off the preseason All-Big 12 team and didn’t garner much of the spotlight during the offseason.

“If we didn’t have Audi Crooks, Addy Brown would get all that attention,” Fennelly said. “She is as skilled and as talented as any player at her position in the country.”

Brown showed off that versatile skillset Monday when she filled the stat sheet with a game-high 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists. More performances like that should generate more attention for Brown, who has used any offseason snubbing to her advantage.

“I kind of like it that way,” Brown said. “I think it motivates me.”

Crooks finished with 16 points and four rebounds.

Fennelly still figuring out minutes and rotations

Fennelly was able to unload his entire bench during the win over Chicago State. That was the plan. Fennelly had planned to not play anyone more than 24 minutes and get at least 13-14 minutes for everyone. It’s his way of giving everyone on the roster opportunities to make compelling cases for playing time.

But with so many players making the most of those chances early on, Fennelly said he isn’t quite ready to start cutting down on playing time. He said playing time will sort itself out as the season goes along and the games get tougher.

“We have a very skilled team,” Fennelly said. “It’s one of the more skilled teams that we’ve had here when you look at one through 12.”

Taulelei nears debut

Iowa State center/forward Lilly Taulelei may be close to making her Cyclones debut. Taulelei, a transfer from UMass, has been dealing with a sprained ankle. She didn’t suit up for Iowa State’s exhibition game or the season opener.

But Taulelei did go through a 45-minute individual workout prior to Monday’s game. Fennelly said she could suit up for Thursday’s game against Indiana State.

“She’s close,” Fennelly said. “That’ll be nice to have another body in the post.”

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468

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Iowa

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Published

2 hours ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Looking for a second road win this week, No. 14 Iowa women’s basketball heads to Indiana for today’s 4 p.m. contest inside Assembly Hall. BTN will televise the game.

The Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) remained perfect in league play with a 67-58 win at Northwestern on Jan. 5, a game in which Iowa survived despite enduring heavy foul trouble.

Meanwhile, Indiana (11-6, 0-5) has reached desperation territory. The Hoosiers have dropped four straight, including two at home, during this extended skid.

Here’s how to watch today’s game.

Watch Iowa vs. Indiana on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana on today?

Iowa vs. Indiana time today

Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
Start time: 4 p.m. CT
Location: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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Iowa

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

Published

14 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

CEDAR FALLS − The undefeated start to the Iowa women’s wrestling program has ended after the Hawkeyes lost a dual for the first time in program history at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 10.

A 40-5 win over William Jewell College and a 39-3 victory over Sacred Heart set up a major semifinal clash with rival North Central College on Jan. 10.

Iowa won six of 10 matches in the semifinals. Karlee Brooks beat national runner-up Yele Aycock by a 8-4 decision, 138-pounder Skye Realin defeated a former national champion by a 6-6 score on criteria in Claire Dicugno with a four-point throw at the buzzer, Reese Larramendy knocked off No. 1 ranked and former Hawkeye teammate Bella Mir in a 10-4 decision at 145 and 180-pounder Kylie Welker wrestled and won in just her second match back after a period of rest to start the season.

All of those wins helped put Iowa in front, 21-18, going into the final bout at 207 pounds.

What did the Hawkeyes in was losses by fall at 110, 124 and 207. The 207 loss, with Dasia Yearby pinning Jaycee Foeller in the first period, gave North Central a 23-21 victory despite the Cardinals dropping six of 10 matches. North Central also scored team points in nine of 10 bouts because they scored match points and did not lose by fall.

As a result, the Iowa program’s 42-0 unblemished record in duals was broken.

The final result was eerily similar to the dual between the two teams at the same tournament two years ago, where the Hawkeyes also lost six of 10 bouts, but got crucial bonus points and at least one team point in all 10 bouts to escape with a 21-20 win.

Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun emphasized to her team two years ago that every point mattered in the win. This time around, it worked against them as the Cardinals got the upset victory.

“Every point does matter,” Chun said. “You can’t replicate those moments in those times, in certain moments and positions. We got to be better at finishing, that’s apparent. We can get to the legs, but we got to continue to wrestle through that to the strong finish.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

Chun said the emotions were raw afterwards, with wrestlers in and out of the lineup taking the loss to heart. Welker, who won her bout 8-2 against Jael Miller, took it hard since she nearly had a pin that could have flipped the final result.

“There was a lot of us that felt it was hard to take a loss, especially for me, and there was a couple other girls that took it pretty hard,” Welker said. “I have girls that look to me, so I’m like, ‘I got to pull myself together and step forward with them, alongside them so we can finish this tournament.’”

Ultimately, the Hawkeyes finished with a win in the third-place bout shortly after by defeating a solid Grand Valley State team, 26-15. The main difference, they said, was the positive energy exuded from the coaching staff to not harp on the past and look for the next best thing.

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

While the loss brings an unfamiliar feeling to the program, it’s something they knew would come eventually. While it was their main rival today, McKendree will also present a tough challenge to the field when the NCAA Championships come in March.

Behind stars Welker and Kennedy Blades, rising wrestlers like Brooks and Realin, as well as proven veterans in Larramendy, Brianna Gonzalez and Foeller, Iowa will have a good chance to win a third-consecutive team title this season.

Even in a crushing loss, they got some key wins from those like Realin, Larramendy and Brooks that bode well for the Hawkeyes in the future. The places they faltered were spots they’ll have confidence to bounce back or won’t apply come the NCAA Championships, like Nyla Valencia’s loss by fall after controlling most of the bout at 110 pounds, and Welker and Blades giving up team points in their matches.

Regardless, the third-place finish served as a reminder to the program and fans alike that this year is going to bring Iowa’s toughest challenge yet.

“Everyone on our team knows it, this sport has depth,” Chun said. “There are great wrestlers across the entire country.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s results at NWCA National Duals

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker’s National Duals press conference

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker discusses program’s first loss

Round of 16: Iowa 40, William Jewell College 5

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Juliana Alejandro (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
110 – Nyla Valencia (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
117 – Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell College) over Harlee Hiller (Iowa) Fall 1:04
124 – Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) over Miyah Palacios (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
131 – Emily Frost (Iowa) over Shelby Kemp (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
138 – Lilly Luft (Iowa) over Zainab Ibrahim (William Jewell College) Fall 2:01
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Mckinzie Ross (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Paige Barber (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
180 – Katja Osteen (Iowa) over Jianna Chavez (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
207 – Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) over Desiree Hall (William Jewell College) TF 10-0

Quarterfinal: Iowa 39, Sacred Heart University 3

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) Fall 0:54
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Tiffany Stoshak (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Tatiana Walker (Sacred Heart) TF 11-0
124 – Cali Leng (Iowa) over Lauren Nguyen (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
131 – Bella Williams (Iowa) over Bella Sowards (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Elleahna Anderson (Sacred Heart) Fall 2:21
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Selena Sifuentes shaffer (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Love Daley (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Madeline Hodges (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
207 – Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart) over Libby Dix (Iowa) Dec 5-2

Semifinal: North Central College 23, Iowa 21

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Brianne Graves (North Central College) TF 12-0
110 – Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central College) over Nyla Valencia (Iowa) Fall 5:38
117 – Riley Rayome (North Central College) over Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) Dec 3-3
124 – Sara Sterner (North Central College) over Cali Leng (Iowa) Fall 1:45
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Yele Aycock (North Central College) Dec 8-4
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Claire Dicugno (North Central College) Dec 6-6
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Bella Mir (North Central College) Dec 10-4
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Taylor Graveman (North Central College) TF 11-1
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Jael Miller (North Central College) Dec 8-2
207 – Dasia Yearby (North Central College) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 1:38

Third-place dual: Iowa 26, Grand Valley State 15

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley State) Dec 7-0
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley State) Dec 6-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Libby Roberts (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
124 – Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) over Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) Fall 0:37
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) Dec 8-3
138 – Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) over Lilly Luft (Iowa) TF 10-0
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Margaret Buurma (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Noelle Gaffney (Grand Valley State) Fall 3:45
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Maddison Ward (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
207 – Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 4:47

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

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