KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCAU) – Big 12 Media Days are underway in Kansas City, with the conference’s women’s basketball squads taking turns at the microphones, including the defending Big 12 Champion Iowa State Cyclones.

Iowa State, who was selected sixth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, will be looking for someone to take the torch from longtime star Ashley Joens. This year’s squad features only five returners from last season.

One of those players may be senior Emily Ryan, who was named to the Nancy Liberman Point Guard of the Year Watch List. The Kansas native was a second-team All-Big 12 choice in 2022 while playing the most minutes per game in the conference with 36.3 per game.

Also in the mix is Nyamer Diew. The Sioux City East alum averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and minutes last season.

A pair of players head coach Bill Fennelly hopes can step up both as leaders and players.

“There’s a lot on their plate, they’ve accepted that. Being a leader isn’t just when it’s convenient and easy for you. You truly do have to sacrifice yourself at times and do it the right way and these two have done it in amazing fashion. We’re really lucky to have them and I think our young guys have really learned what it really means to be an Iowa State student-athlete,” Fennelly said.

ISU will take on Truman State in a home exhibition on November 1st with the team’s season opener scheduled for 11 a.m. on November 6th against Butler at Hilton Coliseum.

Image Courtesy: AP