Two Iowa Women's Basketball Players Enter Transfer Portal

Addie Deal and Callie Levin announce decisions to leave program

Mar. 31, 2026 at 4:10pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a women's basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the team's colors of black, gold, and crimson.The departure of key players from the Iowa women's basketball team signals a period of transition and roster reconstruction for the program.Iowa City Today

Two University of Iowa women's basketball players, guards Addie Deal and Callie Levin, have announced they are entering the transfer portal. Deal and Levin both expressed gratitude for their time with the Hawkeyes program but said they are moving on to pursue other opportunities.

Why it matters

Player transfers are common in college basketball, but the departure of two key contributors from the Iowa women's team is notable. The Hawkeyes are coming off a strong season that included a Big Ten Conference title game appearance, and the team now faces roster turnover as it looks to build on that success.

The details

Deal, a five-star recruit out of high school, averaged 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game as a freshman. Levin said she will always be a 'Hawkeye at heart' after two seasons with the program. In addition to Deal and Levin, reserve guard Kennise Johnson will also use the transfer portal, while the team loses several seniors to graduation.

  • On March 31, 2026, Addie Deal and Callie Levin announced they are entering the transfer portal.

The players

Addie Deal

A five-star recruit who averaged 5.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game as a freshman for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team.

Callie Levin

A guard who spent the past two seasons playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team.

Kennise Johnson

A reserve guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team who will also use the transfer portal to complete her final year of eligibility.

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What they’re saying

“I have learned a lot during my freshman season and look forward to continuing to grow as a result. Playing in the Big Ten Conference title game and making the Big Ten all-freshman team will always be things for which I am so thankful. That said, I have made the very difficult decision to enter the transfer portal. Thank you to the staff at the University of Iowa. I will always appreciate my time here.”

— Addie Deal

“The ringing of my name in Carver Hawkeye Arena after hitting my first shot was everything I expected and more…although my dream was to spend my career playing basketball in the black and gold, sometimes in life we have to pivot and change course to reach our goals. Therefore, I will be entering the transfer portal. Thank you Hawkeye Nation for the past two years. I will always be a Hawkeye at heart.”

— Callie Levin

What’s next

The University of Iowa women's basketball team will now look to fill the roster spots left by the departures of Addie Deal, Callie Levin, and Kennise Johnson, as well as the graduating seniors, as it prepares for the upcoming season.

The takeaway

The transfer decisions by Deal and Levin, along with the graduation of several key players, will force the Iowa women's basketball program to undergo a roster transition this offseason. The team will need to quickly identify and recruit new talent to maintain its competitiveness in the Big Ten Conference.