Jan Jensen’s recent hiring of a new assistant quickly proved beneficial in the recruiting world.
Following several transfer-portal inquiries this spring, Iowa women’s basketball has successfully secured Georgia Tech point guard, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation, who confirmed the news to the Des Moines Register. Wright’s commitment on April 23 came just five days after Jensen appointed former Yellow Jackets assistant LaSondra Barrett to replace Raina Harmon, who left the program.
Wright joins Iowa City after a solid freshman season at Georgia Tech, where she started 12 games and averaged 7.2 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.2 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game. She played a key role on a Georgia Tech team that reached the NCAA Tournament, shooting 37% from the field, 32% from three-point range, and an impressive 89% from the free-throw line over 33 games.
The 5-foot-5 guard hails from Atlanta and was originally ranked as ESPN’s No. 49 overall prospect in the 2024 class, positioned between Ava Heiden (No. 42) and Aaliyah Guyton (No. 58). Notably, Guyton transferred to Illinois on April 12, opening up a point-guard spot at Iowa that Wright is set to fill.
With Guyton’s departure and Lucy Olsen’s eligibility having expired, Wright’s addition gives Iowa more flexibility in the backcourt, complementing incoming freshmen Addie Deal and Journey Houston. Veteran guards Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach, and top reserve Taylor Stremlow also return, forming a strong backcourt foundation as Jensen enters her second year at the helm.
While some women’s basketball programs have made the transfer portal their main source of roster construction, Iowa has been successful when picking its spots. Molly Davis and Olsen were perfect fits in their own ways.
The Hawkeyes knew a portal acquisition was needed this offseason. Iowa got Arizona transfer Jada Williams and UCLA transfer Elina Aarnisalo on campus before they chose Iowa State and North Carolina, respectively. Other reports loosely linked the Hawkeyes to USC transfer Avery Howell (signed with Washington) and Quinnipiac transfer Gal Raviv (signed with Miami), but those pursuits also didn’t materialize. Although Wright wasn’t on Iowa’s initial wave of potential acquisitions, adding her, at minimum, fills a clear need with potential for more.
“I think it’s clear when you have portal wins … what can instantly happen,” Jensen said after Iowa’s season-ending loss to Oklahoma. “So we’ll give those a shot, but it ain’t for lack of trying. Every program in the country is trying that.”
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