AMES – As Iowa State women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly grabbed a seat at a table positioned inside the Sukup Basketball Facility for his final media day on Oct. 14, the longtime Cyclones leader made a request.
The coach, who will lead his final season in 2026-27, asked that the attention during the annual meeting with reporters be placed on his players, not him.
“This is not about me,” Fennelly said. “I do not want this to be a distraction at all. Our kids deserve our best effort. That’s what they’ll get.”
Fennelly’s impending retirement hasn’t been a distraction for the Cyclones, so far. If anything, it’s added some incentive for the revamped roster to send the iconic coach out on the right note during his last season, which kicks off with an exhibition against Upper Iowa at Hilton Coliseum on Oct. 28. The first official game will be on Nov. 2 against Grambling State.
“Before we even knew, we were motivated,” said Iowa State guard Freya Jensen. “We were excited for this new group and to get on the floor. But especially now, we just want to give it our all and finish with a bang.”
Fennelly will finish a long and illustrious coaching career as one of the best leaders in Cyclones sports history. The 69-year-old Davenport native has made Iowa State a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament and guided it to a pair of Elite Eight appearances, three Big 12 Tournament titles and one regular season conference crown in 31 seasons. Four seasons have ended in the Sweet 16.
Fennelly cited his age, the death of a recent family friend, some changes in Iowa State leadership and his son Steven’s family moving to Arizona as some of the reasons why he decided to retire. He also figured this was the perfect team to call it quits with.
More: Bill Fennelly makes right call on retirement for Iowa State | Hines
He compared his current team, which includes 10 new players, to some of his best Iowa State squads. He said this group reminded him of teams that included stars Angie Welle, Stacy Frese, Megan Taylor, Tracy Gahan and Monica Huelman.
“I’m not going to put that kind of pressure on this team because those guys were pretty damn good,” Fennelly said. “Most of them are in the Hall of Fame. But they came in here and they want to play. They enjoy working with and for each other and it’s been evident in our workouts through the summer. They remind me of that group, just the way they love playing at Iowa State and the way they interact.”
This team may not accomplish what those teams did, but Fennelly envisions a bright future for them. He just won't be a part of it after this season. Fennelly broke the news to his staff on Monday afternoon, then told his team before practice that day. The school made the announcement shortly after.
More: Who will replace Bill Fennelly? 6 possible candidates for Iowa State job
While Fennelly didn’t want any of the attention to be on him, his players quickly shifted their focus to making sure he has a great final season.
“Just to see the legacy that he’s built, we just want to make sure it’s a special year for him,” said Iowa State guard Macy Comito.
Even though the news of Fennelly's retirement is still fresh, players have already rallied around the idea of making the final season something he can be proud of.
"I think just for everyone, it's just giving a little bit more effort and giving a little bit more energy," said Iowa State guard Arianna Jackson. "I think (that) is just what the motto kind of is."
Iowa State women's basketball injury updates
Fennelly said redshirt senior guard Ashleigh Connor suffered a sprained ankle. The La Salle transfer won’t play in the team’s closed scrimmage on Oct. 18, but she is expected to be good to go when the season starts. Fennelly added that Comito dealt with a knee injury that limited her during the summer but is now cleared to play.
Iowa State returns to its old form
Much of Fennelly’s success over the years was due to a fast-paced offense that relied on strong 3-point shooting. Over the last few seasons, Iowa State got away from that style, relying heavily on the post play of center Audi Crooks. The Cyclones veered so far off track that their NCAA record of making at least one 3-pointer in a game came to an end at 945 contests during a win against Texas Tech in 2025. With Crooks transferring to Oklahoma State and Iowa State’s roster built up with shooters, the plan is to get back to what used to work.
“We’re going to play like we did two years ago,” Fennelly said. “We’re going to play fast—as fast as we can. We’re going to shoot as many 3s as we can shoot.
Iowa State women's basketball emphasizes improved defense
New associate head coach Caroline McCombs has already had an important impact on the Cyclones. She joined the staff after longtime assistant Jodi Steyer retired in the offseason. McCombs was tasked with trying to improve a defense that ranked 12th in the 16-team Big 12 last season, allowing 67.3 points per game.
Fennelly said he’s already seen massive improvements.
“We’re 100% better defensively than we were at any point last year,” Fennelly said. “So, that’s encouraging.”
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa State women's basketball wants to send Bill Fennelly out in style