If You Build It, They Will Come

With the highly anticipated 2024 WNBA ready to start today, let's look at the Iowa Connections in the WNBA this season, including this Fever rookie named Caitlin.  Washington Mystics    Julie Vanloo - Signed letter of intent to play with Iowa State in 2011 but the Belgium was not granted international eligibility from the NCAA. This is her first season with the WNBA.   Dallas Wings   Stephanie Soares - The #4 pick in the 2023 draft out of Iowa State, Soares will be playing her first season in the WNBA after missing laster year with an ACL injury.   Las Vegas Aces   Kiah Stokes - From Cedar Rapids, Kiah will be in her 10th season in WNBA. She won 3 NCAA titles with UConn and the last 2 titles with Las Vegas.   Megan Gustafson - Megan was AP Player of the Year with Iowa in 2019 and has played previous season with Dallas, Washington and Phoenix. This offseason she was Finals MVP for the London Lions in the WBBL final....

 Congrats to Kiah Stokes (Cedar Rapids) on winning her 2nd consecutive WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces!  

 Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Sky on winning their championships this year...despite not carrying Iowa players and coaches on the their teams this year.  As we all know, having an Iowan on the team is always a winning strategy in life and in sports. In the MLB playoffs, this blog supported the Tampa Bay Rays and Michael Wacha in their pursuit of the title.  15 player and coaches this year had Iowa connections, with the Los Angeles Angels leading the way with 3 (Anthony Benboom :Iowa Western CC, Tony Watson: Sioux City, Jake Petricka : Iowa Western CC). The WNBA had 4 connections this year, and are looking forward to possibly adding Monika Czinano, Caitlyn Clark, and Ashley Joens over the next few years.  In this year's playoffs, this blog supported the Minnesota Lynx with Bridget Carleton. Fret not loyal blog reader. Despite things looking dour, there is still hope.  Perhaps one day Freddie Freeman takes over as the head baseball coach f...

   Here's my updated list for Iowa Connections on WNBA teams.  Connections are sparser than the NFL, so I will only list teams with connections. Iowa State Cyclones : 2 Iowa Hawkeyes : 1 Iowa Wesleyan: 1 1 - Indiana:        Kathleen Doyle (Iowa) 1 - Dallas :      Megan Gustafson (Iowa) 1 - Minnesota:      Bridget Carleton  (ISU) 1 - Phoenix:    Derrick Nillissen (Iowa Wesleyan)

     WNBA Draft Iowa Connections I'll be filling these in as I post in the blog.  I'll link to the players as they each get a post.  Currently, there 9 years out of the 25 years that do not have a relevant Iowa basketball player (04, 08, 09, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21). 1997 Michelle Edwards, Initial, Iowa Toni Foster, 1st, Iowa Tia Jackson, 2nd, Iowa 1998 Tangela Smith, 2nd, Iowa Nadine Domond, 2nd, Iowa Angela Hamblin, 3rd, Iowa 1999 Amy Herrig, 4th, Iowa 2000 Desiree Francis, 2nd, ISU Stacy Frese, 3rd, ISU 2001 Megan Taylor, 4th, ISU Cara Consuegra, 4th, Iowa 2002 Angie Welle, 2nd, ISU Lindsey Meder, 3rd, Iowa Jerica Watson, 3rd, Iowa Tracy Gahan, 4th ISU 2003 Carla Bennett, 3rd, Drake Lindsey Wilson, 3rd, ISU 2004 None 2005 Anne O'Neil, 3rd, ISU 2006 Crystal Smith, 3rd, Iowa 2007 Lyndsey Medders, 2nd, ISU 2008 None 2009 None 2010 Alison Lacey, 1st, ISU 2011 Kachine Alexander, 3rd, Iowa Kelsey Bolte, 3rd, ISU 2012 None 2013 Chelsea Poppens, 2nd, ISU Anna Prins, 2...

  Here's my updated list for Iowa Connections on WNBA teams.  Connections are sparser than the NFL, so I will only list teams with connections. Iowa State Cyclones : 2 Iowa Hawkeyes : 1 1 - Indiana:        Kathleen Doyle (Iowa) 1 - Dallas :      Megan Gustafson (Iowa) 1 - Minnesota:      Bridget Carleton  (ISU)