Iowa State Players in Professional Women’s Basketball: (1979 to Present)

Learn about teams former Cyclones have played for, from the Iowa Cornets to the Minnesota Lynx and everywhere in between.

By Jared Larson@Jar_Lar Aug 31, 2020, 1:00pm CDT

Just like my Iowa State Players in Professional Football and Professional Men’s Basketball series, I can’t promise the perfection of this list, apart from the fact I’m trying for it to be the best compendium.

As always, the decade shown is the decade in which they started their post-Cyclone career.

1970s(1)

Pat Hodgson - 1979 WBL Draft - 9th Round, 15th Pick - Iowa Cornets

Hodgson, a six-on-six player at Glenwood High School (averaged only 49 points per game), didn’t start her freshman year at Iowa State (1974-1975), but in her role off the bench, she led the team in scoring with an average of 12.4 points per game.

Her sophomore season, she averaged her career high with 14.1 points per game while leading the Cyclones to their first ever 20 win season.

She was also the Big Eight Champion high jumper in 1975 and 1976, as well as the 440 meter hurdles and mile relay in 1975.

Hodgson would finish her Iowa State career with 1,284 points and 813 rebounds.

Page 249 of Karra Porter’s Mad Seasons: The Story of the First Women’s Professional Basketball League, 1978-1981 shares Pat’s averages for the Cornets.

“She ending up third in scoring (11.4), rebounds (6.2), assists (3.3) and minutes played for the Cornets.”

Pat Hodgson of the Iowa Cornets tries to find a way to get the ball around New Orleans’ (Pride) Augusta Forest (leading scorer, averaged 17.4, scored 10) during action at the Five Seasons Center Monday (Jan. 7, 1980) night. (Hodgson finished with 11 points)

She was inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.

**1980s(1*)**

Tonya Burns - National Women’s Basketball Association (NWBA)

Burns notably torched Nebraska for 42 points in a game, and kept the glass alight with 23 rebounds against Colorado as well as owning or sharing 31 other records while a Cyclone. She scored in double digits in 92 of her 114 career Cyclone games, and was the first woman to have her jersey (No. 42) retired at Iowa State.

She signed with the Virginia Express in September 1986 in the NWBA.

*The NWBA was slated to have a 48 game season in Winter 1986, but unfortunately, the season folded right before it was supposed to start.

Burns was inducted into Iowa State’s Hall of Fame in 2000.

2000s(9)

Desirée Francis (42) goes to work against St. Francis in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament held in Hilton Coliseum on March 17, 2000. The Cyclones won 92-63.

2000 WNBA Draft - Desirée Francis - 2nd Round, 29th Overall - New York Liberty

The Antiguan came to Iowa State after spending two years at Kirkwood CC. Francis averaged 13.7 ppg and made 53.6% of her shots.

After just one month with the Liberty, Hartford Courant reported she was waived on May 28.

She would be reactivated June 2, and battle through injuries the entire season. She appeared in one regular season game and two playoff games logging six total minutes and 0-3 shooting. She did get one offensive rebound in the season.

2000 WNBA Draft - Stacy Frese - 3rd Round, 35th Overall - Utah Starzz

In Frese’s three year Cyclone career, she scored 1,494 total points (15.6 ppg) (822 of those coming from 3-Pointers, she has the school record with a percentage of .453 (274-605))

She represented Iowa State at the WBCA All-Star Challenge and won the Three-Point Competition in 2000.

She was picked up by the Starzz where she played in 21 games before playing at Mondeville in France.

Should the Class of 2015 Iowa State Hall of Famer’s No. 4 be in the rafters of James H. Hilton Coliseum? You decide.

2001 WNBA Draft - Megan Taylor - 4th Round, 55th Overall - Minnesota Lynx

She finished her Cyclone career with 1,866 points which is fourth all time, she also pulled down 966 rebounds as a Cyclone.

In three preseason games with her home state Lynx, Taylor scored six points and grabbed three rebounds, per Post Bulletin.

2003 WNBA Draft - Lindsey Wilson - 3rd Round, 34th Overall - Connecticut Sun

Lindsey won three straight state titles when she played for Seattle’s Roosevelt High School.

Wilson averaged 19.3 points over her senior year, she is also one of only three players in Big 12 Conference history to record 1,800 points and 500 assists. She scored a career-high 41 points in Hilton against Colorado her senior year.

On March 3, 2000, the Big 12 Conference recognized her as rookie of the week, and in 2001-2003, she was Third, Second and First team All-Big 12 respectively.

In two preseason games, the Wilson recorded four minutes, a steal and 0-2 shooting for the Connecticut Sun.

However, she wouldn’t stop her basketball career there. She would spend the 2006-2007 season with İstanbul Üniversitesi SK, starting 22 games and scoring about 11 points and pulling down about three rebounds per game. The following season, Lindsey played with MBK Ružomberok, appearing in ten games, dishing out 5.6 assists per game which was second best in Slovakia Extraliga. Wilson would be named to the All-Slovakian Extraliga Second Team and the All-Imports Team that season.

She started the 2008-2009 season with Lithuania’s TEO Vilnius (appearing in 19 games) before going to play with Panathinaikos Athens, where she was third in the A1 division with her 43% three point shooting. She averaged 15.5 points per game in 12 Greek League games before returning to TEO and then back to Panathinaikos in December 2009 where she appeared in 22 more games for the green and white colored club. She would be named to the All-Greek League First Team.

She joined the Seattle Storm for the 2010 preseason, scoring seven and three points in two games.

In January 2011, she signed with Israel’s A.S. Ramat Hasharon Electra appearing in four games before moving to Croatia’s ZKK Sibenik Jolly JBS where she appeared in one game, scoring 18 points.

June 2012 ESPN article featured how Wilson was out to “change minds”.

Anne O’Neil, right, guard for the Iowa State University women’s basketball team, leaps for joy after a teammate hit the winning shot at the buzzer during the Big 12 Women’s Basketball Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2005.

2005 WNBA Draft - Anne O’Neil - 3rd Round, 30th Overall - Sacramento Monarchs

O’Neil spent a season at Illinois where she started all but two games before coming to Iowa State.

In her Cyclone debut, she scored ten points off the bench in 17 game minutes against St. Francis [PA] in a 67-45 win.

Her most notable shot came against #2/#1 Texas Tech in 2004.

O’Neil would be honored as an honorable mention All-America in 2005 by both the AP and WBCA/Kodak. O’Neil would also become a first team All-Big 12 in 2005, after making the honorable mention team the year prior. She also represented Iowa State at the ESPN Three-Point Championship in 2005.

On Valentine’s Day, 2006, the Sacramento Monarchs signed her, only to waive the guard on May 19.

@CycloneWBB
@CycloneWBB
@CycloneWBB

Brittany Wilkins - Six Seasons of Professional Basketball

Wilkins appeared in 116 games wearing the No. 51 from 2002-2006, starting 49 of them.

As a freshman and sophomore, she led the team in blocks with 18 and 32 in respective seasons.

Her senior season she averaged 16.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in about 31 minutes per game.

She had a career high 30 points and 16 rebounds in the first round of the 2006 WNIT against UW-Green Bay in a 79-71 overtime win.

After the 2005-2006 bowed out to Marquette the following game, the No. 51 wouldn’t be seen in a Cyclone Women’s Basketball uniform since, but Wilkins wasn’t done with her career as a No. 51.

For the 2006 season, she appeared in four regular season games with the Sacramento Monarchs, averaging 1.5 points per game. In January 2007 she signed with Elfic Fribourg Basket before returning to the Monarchs in April 2007. (The below photo is from May 2007.)

After finishing her second stint with the Monarchs, Wilkins migrated to Université BC Neuchâtel in Switzerland where she stayed until December 2007, averaging 7.8 points per game and 5.8 board per game. She also appeared in two games with the Adelaide (Australia) Link Lightning and 12 games with Luleå Basket (Sweden).

At Luleå, she averaged 15 points per game and was second in the Damligan with her 50% three point shooting average.

Then, in 2008, she appeared in three games with the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars before being released in May of that year.

Botaşspo Adana would pick Wilkins up for 11 games averaging 4.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

She appeared in 17 games with German team Saarlouis Royals, before getting hurt in December 2009.

Then, she went to the Belgium team Point Chaud Sprimont, appearing in ten games averaging 15.1 points per game before going to Swiss team Canti Riva Basket Ceresio in January 2011.

There, she averaged 18.4 points per game and 12.2 rebounds per game which was fourth best in Championnat LNA. Her 83.6% free throw shooting percent would be third best in the LNA, she finished her season as a member of the All-Swiss LNA Honorable Mention Team.

She finished her career with the Dandenong Rangers (Australia), appearing in 13 games and winning the WNBL title over the Bulleen Boomers.

Wilkins (still No. 51) scored four points in four minutes in the Final.

MARLIN LEVISON ¬• mlevison@startribune.com 12/22/05 - Assign#99779 - Gophers womens basketball vs. Iowa State. Minnesota wins 66-61. IN THIS PHOTO: Iowaa State’s Heather Ezell looks for help from the defense of Gophers Liz Podominick #55 and Shannon Sc

Heather Ezell

At Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri, Ezell led her team to a 113-7 record and two state titles. She was Missouri’s Miss Show Me Basketball in 2005 as the best prep basketball player in the state.

She finished her Cyclone career with 287 three-pointers made, and was part of the 2008 All-Tournament Team and was a member of the team that beat Michigan State to go to the 2009 Elite Eight.

She only spent one season professionally, 2009-2010 with Haukar in Hafnarfjörður, Iceland.

In 25 games there, she averaged a league high 28.4 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game (fourth best in the Express League), six assists per game (second in the Express League) and 4.6 steals per game (best in the Express League).

She was named the Import Player of the Year and the MVP of the Icelandic League All-Star Game.

If the 2020-2021 WBB season goes on as planned, she will be in her second year as Associate Head Coach for the University of Wyoming Cowgirls, her sixth year on Wyoming staff.

Claire Rockall - Ten Seasons and Counting in Ireland

Rockall only appeared in 18 games during the 2008-2009 season, accumulating a total of six points, 17 rebounds, six assists and five steals in those appearances.

In April 2009, she announced that she was going to stay at Iowa State until the end of the Spring 2009 semester before returning back home to Ireland. Here’s her Cyclone bio.

Rockall played on Ireland’s U16 National Team in 2006, the U18 team in 2007 and 2008 and has made National Team appearances in 2009, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

FIBA 2018 Women’s European Championships for Small Nations - Day 5

She also took part in the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup in 2017 for her home country.

Professionally, she started her career in the 2009-2010 season with Team Montenotte Hotel Cork where she stayed until the end of the 2015-2016 season.

She averaged well over 11.6 points per game each of her games with Team Montenotte Hotel Cork, as well as a Super League leading 11.4 rebounds per game in the 2011-2012 season.

Rockall spent two seasons in Glanmire, playing in 32 games averaging 15 points per game.

In 2018, she moved to Maree. Her 2019-2020 season with Maree was going very well, averaging 17 points per game in as many games, averaging a fifth best in the Super League 9.9 rebounds per game and a Super League leading 6.5 assists per game.

Claire Rockall in action for Maree in their Women’s Super League game against Liffey Celtics in Oranmore last October.

This April 2020 article (which features the above image) shares how Rockall’s world was changed because of COVID-19.

Toccara Ross - 11 Professional Seasons (So Far)

Ross’ Cyclone bio gives a more in depth look at her Kirkwood CC and Iowa State.

She averaged 10.7 points per game her first Cyclone season, but trailed off in production due to an ACL tear.

Against No. 14 (third seeded) Georgia in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, Ross poured in 11 points and nine rebounds in a 76-56 loss.

DAVID BREWSTER ‚Ä¢ dbrewster@startribune.com Monday_3/19/07_Minneapolis IOWA STATE vs. U. of GEORGIA Iowas States #41 Toccara Ross tries to spoil Georgia #24 Megan Darrah’s shot (first half).

She started her post-Cyclone career appearing in 14 games with Puerto Rican team Pollitas de Isabela, where Ross averaged 20.9 points per game and 14.7 rebounds per game. Later that season, she made a move to Valenciana de Juncos for five games, averaging 29.4 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per game.

In 2010, Ross started her season with Indias de Mayaguez (Puerto Rico) for four games, where she averaged 12.5 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. She also played three games at Cabo Robo Turistas for three games, averaging similar stats and then finishing her season playing one game for Montaneras de Morovis where she had 19 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

She joined the Hobart Chargers in Australia in 2011, where she averaged 15.3 and 8.8 in 22 games. Later, she joined Puerto Rican team San Juan Warriors where she finished the season third in scoring average in the BSNF (Baloncesto Superior Nacional Femenino) with 20.6 points per game. In October 2011, she made one game appearance with Mets de Guaynabo, scoring 19 points, pulling down five rebounds and dishing out three dimes.

In 2013, the Davenport native joined Ecuador’s Club Deportivo Mavort and in January 2014 she joined Finnish club Tapiolan Honka, where she appeared in 11 games and scoring about 15 points per game.

Later in 2014, she joined Columbian club La Estancia de Poayan where she appeared in five games during the South American Club Championships, averaging 13.4 points per game. She also played for Romanian club CS Municipal Satu Mare. In December 2014, she made a move to Israel club Elitzur Holon where she appeared in 13 games scoring an average of 14.1 points per game.

In 2015, her global basketball tour of sorts brought her to Uruguay where she played for Malvin, playing in three games, averaging 9.7 points and seven rebounds per game.

Then, in January 2016, she signed with Swiss club BCF Elfic Fribourg Basket where she averaged 16.1 points per game in 17 games.

In 2017, she played with Australian club Albury Wodonga Lady Bandits, where she appeared in 20 games and scored an average of 15.7 points per game.

Later that year she played with both Swiss club BC Winterthur and French club Perpignan-Le Soler Metropole Basket.

In 2018, she joined Australia’s Frankston Blues playing in 16 games and averaging just under 14 points per game. Also in the 2018-2019 season, she played for French club ASA Sceaux Basket Feminin.

She went to play in Australia’s Big V semi-pro league (it’s located in the Victoria state of Australia) where she played in 13 games with the Casey Cavaliers, averaging 17.4 points per game.

To start the 2019-2020 season, she spent time with French club Côte d’Opale Basket Calais.

In January 2020, she appeared in four games with Swiss club Esperance Sportive Pully, where she’s averaged 27 points per game.

Her career highs in points and rebounds have been 33 points in 40 minutes in February 2020 with Pully and 20 rebounds twice in 2011 and 2014.

Cyclone Fanatic caught up with her in May 2020.

2010s(12)

Alison Lacey - 2010 WNBA Draft - 1st Round, 10th Overall - Seattle Storm

The highest WNBA Draft pick in Cyclone history has the unique distinction of being “the only player in school history and only the seventh player in the history of the Big 12 Conference to record 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 500 assists in a career,” her bio states.

In 16 games with the Storm, Lacey averaged one point and one rebound per game.

Lacey joined the Canberra TransAct Capitals for 23 games later in the 2010-2011 season, scoring about five points per game.

2011 WNBA Draft - Kelsey Bolte - 3rd Round, 32nd Overall - Atlanta Dream

The OA-BCIG high school grad quickly made her (2007-2011) stamp on Iowa State basketball when she became the “first freshman in Big 12 history to score 20+ points in each of her first four league games,” per her bio. Because of that performance, she was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie Team.

In 2009 and 2010 she was on the All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Team.

However, in 2011, she really hit her stride.

Here are just some of her accolades:

Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American
WBCA Honorable Mention All-American
All-Big 12 First Team
Naismith Trophy Watch List
Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team
ESPN Three-Point Contest Runner-Up

She finished with 1,639 points as a Cyclone.

She spent the pre-season with the Atlanta Dream before going to France’s Cavigal Nice Basket 06, appearing in six games scoring three points per game.

In January 2012, she moved to KFUM Järfälla Stockholm, appearing in eight games and averaging 13.1 points per game and five rebounds per game.

Below is an interview from when she was at Järfälla.

Lauren Mansfield - Eight Professional Seasons (and Counting)

Mansfield appeared in 64 games as a Cyclone after transferring from Midland CC, averaging about eight points per contest.

Her first stop after leaving Iowa State would be Australia’s North Adelaide Rockets. Later in the 2012-2013 season, she linked up with Adelaide Link Lightning, scoring 4.2 points per game in 24 appearances.

She then spent time with the (SEABL) Launceston ~~Cyclones~~Tornadoes off and on until 2018 while bouncing around with other WNBL teams before going to Polish team Energa Toruń in 2017-2018.

I believe the below video shows a game winning three by Mansfield.

Lauren Mansfield rzuca po zwycięstwo!
W najbliższy weekend pauzujemy w rozgrywkach Energa Basket Liga Kobiet. Zespół w spokoju przygotowuje się do wtorkowego meczu z MUKS Widzew Łódź. Tymczasem zobaczcie jak wyglądała decydująca akcja poprzedniego pojedynku. Celna trójka Mansfield dała nam zwycięstwo w Siedlcach!
Posted by Energa Toruń on Saturday, February 24, 2018

The 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons were played in Perth, with the Lynx, where she averaged 6.7 in 21 game appearances in the former and 9.6 points per in the latter season.

She left Perth sometime in 2020, as around February 13, 2020, she joined CCC Polkowice in Poland, playing in five games.

Stanford Cardinal’s Jayne Appel, #2, guards against Iowa State Cyclone’s Ashley Arlen, #31, in the first half of the Berkeley regional final of the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship on Monday, March 30, 2009 at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley

Ashley (Arlen) Harris - Five Professional Seasons

Arlen, a Cascade HS grad, much like our very own Levi Stevenson, appeared in 34 games during the 2009 Elite Eight run.

She scored a Cyclone career high of 14 points against North Dakota in the last game of the Cyclone Challenge. (Photo gallery)

Robert Berry

She left the Cyclones following the season to play for Division II Wayne State (Nebraska).

Arlen averaged 16.4 points and 8.6 rebounds during the 2010-2011 season and 18.1 rebounds and 9.4 rebounds per game during the 2011-2012 season for the Wildcats, leading them to an Elite Eight appearance that year.

She would then join Romanian club BCT Alexandria where she would average 13.2 points per game and a fifth best in Division A 9.3 rebounds per game in 30 game appearances.

Next, Arlen would go to second tier Universitario de Ferrol (Spain) where she averaged 15 points per game and again she would be fifth best in a division, this time the LF2, with 9.3 rebounds per game.

The following year, she would go to German club BG 89 Avides Hurricanes Rotenburg where she averaged 7.3 points per game in 29 games.

The next three seasons she spent with UK club Nottingham Wildcats. A three time center of the year, Arlen had some impressive stats with the green and gold.

In the 2015-2016 season, she had 16.7 points (fifth best in the WBBL), 10.7 rebounds (third best) and 1.2 blocks (best) per game.

The following season, she would be named Player of the Year and Import of the Year with a WBBL leading 24.4 points per game.

The 2017-2018 season was more of the same, when she led the WBBL in points and rebounds (23.6 and 12.5) respectively and was fourth for steals and blocks per game (2.1 and 1.4), she left the Wildcats in March 2018.

MARLIN LEVISON * mlevison@startribune.com Assign. #20010302G - December 13, 2009] GENERAL INFORMATION: Gophers womens basketball vs. Iowa State. IN THIS PHOTO: Gophers Ashley Ellis-Milan, left was stripped of the ball by Iowa State’sJessica Schroll (12

Jessica Schroll - Three Professional Seasons

Schroll averaged 3.9 points per game and 3.3 rebounds per game during the 2009-2010 season and played 15 minutes in the Sweet 16 loss to UCONN.

Her next two seasons, her production crept up a little, averaging 4.2 points per game in 2010-2011 and averaged 6.9 points per game (ten appearances) during the 2011-2012 season.

Toledo’s Yolanda Richardson is sandwiched by Central Michigan’s Crystal Bradford, left, and Jessica Schroll during second half of a MAC semifinal at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. TOLEDO BLADE/LORI KING
Jessica Schroll goes up for a bucket while playing for Pyrinto, a professional women’s basketball team in Finland, this past winter. Riivio Photography
Jessica Schroll (right) poses with members of her current team, T71, based in Dudelange, Luxembourg. At left is her teammate Stefanie Yderstrom, and in the center is T71 coach Thierry Kremer.

She then transferred to Central Michigan to close out her collegiate years, averaging 10.3 points per game in 25 appearances.

Her first professional season was spent with Icelandic club Stjarnan. She averaged 18 and 11 while playing for the Garðabær based team. She was also a member of the USA National Team in 2014.

The following season, she went to top Finnish tiered team Tampereen Pyrintö, where she lead the league in three-point percentage with 40.9%.

2015-2016, her last professional season, she played 14 games with T71 Dudelange in Luxembourg’s Total League. There, she averaged 19.9 points per game and 10.5 rebounds per game, those marks were third and fifth best in the Total League respectively. She also had a 56.3% on field goals, also third best in the Total League.

2013 WNBA Draft - Chelsea Poppens - 2nd Round, 18th Overall - Seattle Storm

Four Seasons Played Professionally

Poppens (2009-2013) was an outstanding 6’2” forward from Aplington-Parkersburg in career here. In 2011, she was named to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team.

Iowa State’s Chelsea Poppens drives as Texas A&M’s Kelsey Bone tries to block during 2nd haf at Hilton Coliseum Saturday, Jan 14, 2012, in Ames, Iowa. AP
Baylor guard Alexis Prince (12) defends as Iowa State forward Chelsea Poppens (33) handles the ball during their NCAA college basketball championship game in the Big 12 Conference tournament, Monday, March 11, 2013, in Dallas. Baylor won 75-47. Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press
Iowa State forward Chelsea Poppens (33) looks for a shot opportunity against Baylor center Brittney Griner (42) as Makenzie Robertson (14) and Destiny Williams (10) watch in the second half of their NCAA college basketball championship game in the Big 12 Conference tournament, Monday, March 11, 2013, in Dallas. Tony Gutierrez, Associated Press
Oklahoma State’s Toni Young looks to score past Iowa State’s Chelsea Poppens during a women’s NCAA college basketball game at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012. Nate Billings, Associated Press
Texas guard Yvonne Anderson drives past Iowa State forward Chelsea Poppens during the first half on Monday, Feb. 21, 2011, in Ames, Iowa. Associated Press/Amy Vinchattle Ames Tribune

In 2012 (14.2 points per game and 10.6 rebounds per game) and 2013 (13.4 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game) she was named to both the All-Big 12 First Team and Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American team.

Her 24 free throw attempts in the last series meeting with Mizzou in 2012 are a school record. She made 15 of those freebies, and one can watch game highlights here.

Released May 2013: Seattle Storm
Signed August 2013: San Antonio Silver Stars Photos by D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images
Until December 2014: Pszczółka AZS UMCS
2015-2016: Hélios VS Basket (Switzerland)
2016 and 2017: Gigantes de Carolina (Puerto Rico)
2018: Geelong Supercats (Australia)
2017-January 2018: Sporting Club Chabibeh (Lebanon)

Poppens accumulated no stats with the Storm before being released in July 2013. She signed with Bulleen Boomers in Australia in July 2013 before coming back stateside in August 2013 with the San Antonio Silver Stars.

With the Silver Stars, Poppens scored all nine of her WNBA points in eight game appearances.

She went back to the Boomers for an 18 game stint in the 2013-2014 season (left in January 2014) where she competed in the WNBL. There, she averaged 14.4 points per game, 7.3 rebounds per game and notably 1.4 steals per game which was fifth best in the WNBL that year.

Poppens then played nine games with Polish team Pszczółka AZS UMCS, averaging 11.3 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest.

After leaving Pszczółka in December 2014, she joined Swiss team Hélios VS Basket, appearing in 26 games and having scoring (20.8 points per game - second best in the league) and rebounding (12.3 rebounds per game - fourth best) marks be Top Five in the LNA. For those efforts, she was named Finals MVP, Forward of the Year, Import Player of the Year and made the All-Swiss LNA First Team.

My source for all of the information in this shows she appeared in three games for Puerto Rican team Gigantes de Carolina. This is corroborated by the jersey photo Poppens put on her social. While there, she averaged 9.5 points per game in her two 2017 appearances.

Then, she went to Sporting Club Chabibeh in Beirut, but left in January 2018 only to sign with Swedish squad Telge Basket in February 2018, appearing in seven games. Here’s an interview with her after one of those seven games.

She went back to play in Australia for her final season in the last year of the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL) with the Geelong Supercats.

In 17 games there, she averaged 8.8 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game.

2013 WNBA Draft - Anna Prins - 2nd Round, 23rd Overall - Connecticut Sun

Prins is the tallest women’s basketball player in school history at 6’7”. The 2009 Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 12.3 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game in her final year in a Cyclone uniform.

In her seven games against Brittney Griner, she averaged 14.9 points on 46.4% shooting.

Prins was cut after just three days of camp with the Sun.

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament - First Round - Spokane

Hallie Christofferson - Two Professional Seasons

Christofferson played 3974 minutes as a Cyclone, only fouling out twice. She finished her Cyclone career with 1,724 points (18.4 per game average her senior year!) and 798 rebounds.

After losing to Tenth Seeded Florida State, the Phoenix Mercury signed her and waived Hallie on May 7, 2014.

Hamlin native and Exira grad Hallie Christofferson is currently in Austria, playing for the Flying Foxes professional women’s basketball team there. Christofferson has had the opportunity to play all across Europe with the leagues the Foxes play in and she’ll return to America in April. Cristoph Erler
2015-2016: Olympiacos

Her playing career wasn’t over as she found playing time with Austrian team Flying Foxes for the 2014-2015 season. Hallie was the AWBL player of the Year, Forward of the Year and a First Team member with Flying Foxes.

In 2015-2016, she played in top tier Greek team Olympiacos, appearing in 22 games scoring an average of 12.4 points per game. Her 63.6% from the field was second best in the A1.

Olympiacos won the A1 title that year, but, unfortunately, I do not have stats of the Championship game.

Christofferson was named Forward of the Year, Co-Newcomer of the Year, First Team and All-Imports Team while playing in the Greek League.

Baylor center Brittney Griner (42) attempts to get by Iowa State’s Kelsey Harris (3) during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Waco, Texas.

Kelsey Harris - One Season in Europe

Kelsey Harris only spent two seasons in Ames (playing in 57 games, starting one and averaging 2 ¹⁄₂ points per game) before transferring to UC Davis where she became an elite three-point threat, connecting on 50.3% of them during her senior year.

Because of her deep shooting ability, the just under 11 points per game scorer was invited to the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis in April 2015 where she made it to the Semifinals.

2012-2015: UC Davis Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
2015-2016: WSG 81 Königs Wusterhausen

After her career as a UC Davis Aggie ended, she played 18 games with German second tier team WSG 81 Königs Wusterhausen. She averaged 12.4 points per game and averaged 46.7% on field goals and 43.5% on three-point goals.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: MAR 09 Big 12 Conference Women’s Championship - Iowa State v Kansas

Bridget Carleton - 2019 WNBA Draft - 2nd Round, 21st Overall - Connecticut Suns

Carleton, a five time Big 12 Freshman of the Week and a ten time Big 12 Player of the Week is one of the most dominant Cyclones in school history.

She finished her Cyclone career with 2,142 points. Carleton who was also an All-Big 12 Team First Team player from 2017-2019, has found many minutes playing for Canada’s national team.

Her first (according to where I got all of this information) appearance for Canada was with their U16 team in 2013 playing in the FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Cancun.

Her 50% from beyond the arc was third best at the U16 Championship, where Canada got silver.

The Chatham, Ontario, native was also a 2019 recipient of the Cheryl Miller Award winner, which goes to the nation’s best small forward.

She was also the Big 12 Athlete of the Year in 2019 as well as a member of the Naismith Starting Five. Carleton was also a Second Team All-American by AP and ESPNW.

Carleton’s senior season stat line was impressive. 21.7 points per game, 8.6 rebounds per game, four assists per game, 2.3 steals per game and 1.2 blocks per game.

Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images
Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images
Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

She appeared in four games each in 2019 for both the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx, scoring zero points for the Sun and averaging 0.8 points per game in the first stint with the Lynx.

Carleton made a move to Australia’s Townsville (WNBL) in October 2019, where she had 20 points and seven rebounds in her first game against Southside.

In 20 games with the Fire, she averaged 11.6 points per game.

She became the single game WNBA scoring record holder from Iowa State in her first career start on Aug. 5, 2020, when she had 25 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Carleton is the third player in WNBA to have 25 points and five points in one’s first WNBA start.

As of Aug. 28, 2020, when I typed this sentence you’re reading right now, she is leading the WNBA in three-point percentage, connecting on 61.9% of those shots.

Sue Bird is currently in second with a 54.8% for this statistic.

Meredith Burkhall - One Season in Europe

Burkhall, a Des Moines Roosevelt graduate, appeared in 126 games for Iowa State, shooting from the field at over 43% all four years.

Her 20 points and 13 rebounds at Kansas State (2018) were her career mark at Iowa State.

In September 2019, she played her first game with Irish club DCU Mercy in the Super League. In 34 minutes of play, she netted 31 points.

She would only score in single digits twice in 17 games and less than 20 (but more than ten) three times.

This scoring average of 23.8 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game were first and second best respectively in the Super League.

Her best performance, to date, came on December 8, 2019, against Glanmire when she had 34 points and 20 rebounds in 40 minutes.

Burkhall was named Player of the Year, Import Player of the Year and a First Team All-Super League.

Below is DCU Mercy and Burkhall taking part in the Hula Hoops Paudie O’Connor Cup Semi-Final.

Alexa Middleton - One Season in Europe (So Far)

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Tennessee basketball freshman Alexa Middleton (33) chases down a rebound during Big Orange Madness scrimmage at Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014. Adam Lau, Knoxville News Sentinel)

Middleton is the only McDonald’s All-American Iowa State has had in women’s basketball until Lexi Donarski plays a minute for the cardinal and gold. During the 2014 McDonald’s All-America game, Middleton played 20 minutes, scoring the only three for the East Team (both teams combined 4/32 shooting), pulled down four rebounds and dished out five assists.

At Tennessee she appeared in 97 games as a Lady Vol, averaging 7.9 points per game before coming to Iowa State where her 10.1 points, three rebounds and five assists per game put her as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention.

Alexa Middleton var Visbys poängspruta för kvällen. Sammanlagt bidrog hon med 25 poäng.

For her stats Visby (Sweden) my notes only go to March 6, 2020, but it appears she averaged 18.8 points, 6,2 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.1 steals per game. That averaged stat line made her an All-Basketligan dam Honorable Mention.