Ben Hutchens | Quad City Times

AMES — One of Iowa State’s all-time greats is getting a promotion. 

Former Cyclone point guard Emily Ryan is getting elevated to assistant coach. Ryan spent the 2025-26 season as an ISU graduate assistant coach after a distinguished playing career. 

“Emily’s loyalty to Iowa State and her passion for this program are truly special,” ISU coach Bill Fennelly said last year. “Her work ethic is as good as I have ever seen. I am confident that she will impact our program as a coach, just as she did as one of the best players to ever play at Iowa State.”

Ryan, a native of Claflin, Kansas, played five seasons at ISU from 2020-26 and ranks in the program’s top five all-time in assists, steals and blocks. She brought the Cyclones to five NCAA Tournaments, a Sweet 16 in 2022 and the 2023 Big 12 Championship. 

Fennelly is returning for his 32nd season at ISU and named Caroline McCombs the team’s new associate head coach on April 27. McCombs spent last season as an assistant at Auburn. Prior to that she spent seven seasons as Stony Brook’s head coach (2014-21) and four seasons as George Washington’s head coach (2021-25).

ISU has now filled both coaching roles vacated by longtime Cyclone associate head coach Jodi Steyer, who retired in April and assistant Latoja Schaben, who took a coaching job at Texas State to be closer to family.