Over 1,300 women's basketball players entered the transfer portal this season, and four found their way to Iowa City.
Jan Jensen and the program rebuilt a depleted roster after major turnover last season, filling multiple needs. The program heavily relied on the transfer portal, adding four transfers to the roster. That included Amari Whiting (Oklahoma State), Bria Medina (Knox College), Dani Carnegie (Georgia), and Jocelyn Faison (Georgia), all of whom could make an impact this season. With all the talent Iowa added, one player is earning special recognition as one of the most impactful transfers this offseason.
Dani Carnegie has the chance to drastically shift Iowa's fortunes this season
The transfer portal keeps reshaping rosters, and success often comes down to a coin flip. The Hawkeyes struck gold with Chit-Chat Wright when they added her from Georgia Tech, but Emely Rodriguez was the complete opposite. You win some, and you lose some, but Iowa has used the transfer portal to its advantage. With only five returning players, Jan Jensen and the program took some massive swings in the portal, and Dani Carnegie could be the most impactful transfer in the country.
Carnegie was a key player for Georgia last season, doing a little bit of everything for the Bulldogs. She averaged 17.8 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent from beyond the arc, plus 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. She earned an All-SEC First-Team selection, but decided to go elsewhere for her junior season. She luckily found her way to Iowa City and has been tabbed as one of the most impactful offseason transfers.
ESPN's Charlie Creme recently listed Carnegie as his No. 3 most impactful transfer, just behind former Iowa State Cyclones Audi Crooks (transfer to Oklahoma State) and Addy Brown (transfer to UCLA). Creme stated that after "completely changing the fortunes" of the Georgia Bulldogs last season, Carnegie joined a team with much more talent and higher expectations. Carnegie and Chit-Chat could easily form one of the Big Ten's best backcourts, and she could do for Iowa what she did for Georgia. Carnegie is a versatile guard who does everything on the court, and she will be a key player for Iowa's new-look squad.
Carnegie's impact will be felt in more places than the stat sheet
Before playing an official game for the Hawkeyes, Carnegie spent the summer with the United States 3x3 National Team, and she was a key contributor. She helped Team USA win gold, and she now brings that experience back to Iowa City. Carnegie also has three years of college experience, and her leadership and experience will have a bigger impact than her stats. Stats obviously are important, but Iowa had a leadership void after four veteran players left. Ava Heiden, Chit-Chat Wright, and Taylor Stremlow returned and were named captains, but Carnegie brings a new outside perspective.
She earned an All-SEC selection for a reason, and the stats back that up. She also got invaluable experience as a member of Team USA, something no one else on the squad has. Carnegie's leadership and experience can be relied on early as the program keeps gelling, and she gives the program something it hasn't had. No offense to Chit-Chat, but Carnegie is one of the most impactful transfers Iowa has signed, and it signals that Iowa is ready to make a run. Look for Carnegie to make a major impact not only on the stat sheet, but also as a leader.
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