Alvaro Folgueiras enters the transfer portal after one year at Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) makes a go-ahead three-point basket against the Florida Gators late in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tyler Tachman | Des Moines Register

IOWA CITY — Iowa basketball forward Alvaro Folgueiras plans to enter the transfer portal, according to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express.

Folgueiras posted on Instagram: “Forever grateful, Hawkeye Nation! 💛🖤”

Folgueiras, a March Madness hero for the Hawkeyes, averaged 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 33.3% from deep in his lone season at Iowa.

Folgueiras, a prized transfer portal addition ahead of the 2025-26 season, was coming off a campaign in which he was named Horizon League Player of the Year at Robert Morris.

But Folgueiras’ season at Iowa was riddled with inconsistencies. There were some high moments and some low moments. His production did not translate in the way that it did for Bennett Stirtz, who was also previously a Player of the Year winner in a mid-major conference. Folgueiras, who came off the bench in all but one of his 37 appearances, still ranked third on the Hawkeyes in both scoring and rebounding last season.

Despite his rocky season, Folgueiras etched himself into Iowa lore during the NCAA Tournament. He drilled a game-winning 3-pointer to knock off 1-seed Florida and send the Hawkeyes to their first Sweet 16 since 1999. Then he scored timely buckets in crunch time during Iowa’s win over rival Nebraska as the Hawkeyes advanced to their first Elite Eight since 1987.

Folgueiras scored in double-figures in three of Iowa’s four NCAA Tournament games. However, the fact that he went scoreless against Illinois in the Elite Eight illustrated his unpredictability.

With his departure, Iowa will have to replace at least two of its top three scorers from last season — and possibly all three, depending on how Tavion Banks’ future shakes out. The loss of Folgueiras further stresses Iowa’s need to add size this offseason, which Iowa coach Ben McCollum had already identified as a priority.

But there are still a variety of players who can return next season to Iowa, including Cam Manyawu, Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, Tate Sage, Isaia Howard, Trevin Jirak and Trey Thompson. The Hawkeyes also have two four-star prospects in their 2026 high school recruiting class — Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon.

Folgueiras’ regular season at Iowa did not live up to what some hoped. But his clutch plays in the NCAA Tournament helped the Hawkeyes to a thrilling run in McCollum’s first season at the helm.

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Alvaro Folgueiras enters the transfer portal after one year at Iowa

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