After directing Iowa State women’s basketball for more than three decades, head coach Bill Fennelly announced Monday that the upcoming 2026-27 campaign will mark his final season. Entering his 32nd season in Ames, Fennelly ties as the third-longest tenured head coach across any sport in Iowa State history.
Over his career with the Cyclones, he has compiled a 656-335 (.662) record, guiding the program to 24 NCAA Tournament berths and 26 overall postseason appearances. His 822 total career victories
rank 15th all-time among NCAA Division I women’s basketball coaches.
“It has been the greatest honor of my professional life to coach at Iowa State for the past 32 years,” Fennelly said. “I have been truly blessed to have had the opportunity to coach so many amazing players while working with loyal and dedicated staff members. We have built one of the most respected programs in the nation on and off the court. We have done that with the best fan base in the country that has grown from 310 in our first game to where it is today – top 10 for over 25 straight years.”
Fennelly noted that announcing his retirement early offers organizational transparency and provides the university’s incoming athletics director clear foresight to plan for the program’s next chapter.
“While I still love coaching and am working as hard as ever, I understand that this job has an expiration date,” Fennelly said. “After talking with my family, I have made the decision that the 2026-27 season will be my last. Announcing my intention now is what is best for everyone in our program and provides the new athletics director clarity on my future and allows them to make plans for the program moving forward. Deb and our family can’t thank everyone enough for the support we have received since the day we arrived. We have given everything we have to this program and our community. We are proud to call Ames home.”
Despite establishing his timeline for stepping down, Fennelly emphasized that his immediate priority remains locked on his current players and upcoming season.
“I hope that the focus of everyone is on our players as it always is in our program,” Fennelly said. “This is a special group and we are all committed to continuing to do things the Iowa State Way so we can share more Hilton Magic with Cyclone Nation.”
Senior Associate Athletics Director Dr. Calli Sanders, who has worked alongside Fennelly for over two decades, pointed to his mentorship and dedication to student-athletes as his true mark on the department.
“For more than two decades, I’ve had the honor of working alongside Bill Fennelly and seeing firsthand not just the depth of his basketball mind, but the passion and purpose he brings to Iowa State every single day,” Sanders said. “Bill built a program that reflects who he is – disciplined, competitive, and relentlessly committed to his student‑athletes. His influence will be felt long after his final season, not only in the record books, but in the lives of the countless people he has mentored and inspired.”
As Iowa State prepares for the eventual transition, one could expect Fennelly’s mark on Hilton Coliseum to be permanently commemorated.
“Coach Fennelly is a legend in women’s college basketball,” Iowa State University Endowed Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard said. “Bill’s impact on the young women in our program, the staff in our department, the thousands of fans that attended every home game, and the residents in our community, is second to none. He transformed our women’s basketball program into a nationally respected and competitive program, and his imprint on our department will never be forgotten. I look forward to seeing a banner hung in the Hilton Coliseum rafters permanently memorializing his lasting impact on Iowa State University.”
