- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Iowa Women's Basketball Player Enters Transfer Portal
Emely Rodriguez to leave Hawkeyes after one season due to injury issues
Apr. 6, 2026 at 9:20pm
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
The departure of Emely Rodriguez adds to the roster turnover facing the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team this offseason.Iowa City TodayAfter spending one season with the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, forward Emely Rodriguez has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. Rodriguez, who previously played at UCF, has been dealing with a chronic back injury that kept her sidelined for most of the season.
Why it matters
Rodriguez was expected to provide a scoring boost for the Hawkeyes, but her injury troubles prevented her from making a significant impact. Her departure is part of a larger roster turnover for Iowa, which is losing several key players to graduation and the transfer portal.
The details
In six games this season, Rodriguez averaged 7.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 42.5% from the field. She was suspended indefinitely by the team in December, but later returned and continued to rehab her back injury. Rodriguez will likely seek a medical redshirt, which would preserve three years of her eligibility.
- Rodriguez entered the NCAA Transfer Portal on April 6, 2026.
- She was suspended indefinitely by the team on December 18, 2025.
- Rodriguez returned to the team 11 days later on December 29, 2025.
The players
Emely Rodriguez
A forward who spent one season with the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team after transferring from UCF, where she was an All-Big 12 Freshman Team selection.
Lisa Bluder
The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team.
What they’re saying
“She's back. We never announced (a suspension) ourselves, but we handled that internally. She's back, and she's battling a back (injury) that's been chronic. So it's a day-to-day situation.”
— Lisa Bluder, Head Coach, Iowa Hawkeyes Women's Basketball
What’s next
Rodriguez will likely apply for a medical redshirt, which would preserve three years of her eligibility. The Hawkeyes will be active in the transfer portal this offseason as they look to rebuild their roster.
The takeaway
The departure of Rodriguez is part of a larger roster overhaul for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team, which is losing several key players to graduation and the transfer portal. The team will need to find new sources of scoring and defensive intensity as they look to reload for the upcoming season.
