Bill Fennelly to retire as Iowa State women’s basketball coach after 32 seasons

Bill Fennelly, the longest-tenured head coach in Iowa State women's basketball history, announced his retirement after the 2022-23 season. At 69 years old, Fennelly, who began his coaching tenure at Iowa State in 1995, has led the Cyclones to 24 NCAA Tournament appearances and three Big 12 titles. Fennelly, who now trails only Geno Auriemma in Division I head coaching records, stated, "It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to coach at Iowa State for the past 32 years."

The team's performance last season was disappointing, as they finished with a 22-8 record and were eliminated in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament. Nine players transferred out of the program following the season, including the nation's second-leading scorer, Audi Crooks, and All-Big 12 selections Addy Brown and Jada Williams.

Fennelly expressed his commitment to announcing his retirement now to provide clarity for the new athletic director, stating, "While I still love coaching and am working as hard as ever, I understand that this job has an expiration date." Iowa State begins the 2023-24 season at home against Grambling State on November 2.