Whom should Lisa Bluder focus on recruiting from the transfer portal for the 2024-25 season?

Following consecutive losses in the NCAA championship game, the Iowa Hawkeyes will enter the upcoming season with a revised perspective.

Five pivotal members of their lineup, including three starters, have concluded their final year, marking the end of their tenure under Lisa Bluder. Among them are Caitlin Clark, who was the top pick in the 2024 NBA draft and holds the record for the highest college career scoring.

In addition to Clark, notable figures like Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, Molly Davis, and Sharon Goodman are transitioning to new roles, leaving Coach Bluder with significant gaps to fill.

Thanks to the opportunities presented by the transfer portal, Iowa has the chance to reshape its team with exceptional talent to sustain its successful streak. After securing their primary transfer target, Lucy Olsen, a 5-foot-9 guard from Villanova, the team’s transfer portal endeavors have begun impressively.

Olsen demonstrated her dominance at Villanova, increasing her scoring average from 12.4 ppg in 2022-23 to 23.3 ppg last season.

However, with several prominent transfers still available, Lisa has an opportunity to further strengthen the roster. With this in mind, here are the top three players Iowa should pursue through the portal.

3 players Lisa Bluder should pick for the 2024–25 season
#1. Raegan Beers (Oregon State)
The pressing concern for Iowa is the guard position, where they lost three major contributors: Caitlin, Gabbie and Martin. But, with the talent that Raegan Beers possesses, she could be a valuable addition to a new Hawkeyes attack.

Averaging 17.5 points and 10.3 rebounds on the season, Beers led Oregon State to their third Elite Eight appearance, where they ran into the eventual champions, the South Carolina Gamecocks.

With the Beavers moving to the West Coast Conference after the Pac-12’s dissolution, Raegan is one of several Oregon State stars entering the transfer portal. Her 6-foot-4 frame, along with a top-10 field goal percentage in the nation this past season at 66.4%, would give Iowa a valuable commodity in the frontcourt.

#2. Deja Kelly (North Carolina)
With the portal facing a deficit at the guard position, Deja Kelly is a major name to watch out for. Averaging 16 points in each of the last three seasons, she was critical to the Tar Heels making it to the NCAA Tournament.

Her ability to draw contact is Caitlin Clark-esque, with Kelly ranking fifth countrywide at getting to the charity strip with 7.1 trips per game.

#3. Kaitlyn Chen (Princeton)
Her time at Princeton may have ended, but Kaitlyn Chen has one season of college eligibility left as she enters the transfer portal. The 5-foot-9 guard has been the best player in the Ivy League Tournament, winning Most Outstanding Player three times.

Her accolades also include an Ivy League Player of the Year Award this past season, where she averaged 15.8 points and 4.9 assists.

Aside from these names, do you think there is any other player that Coach Bluder and the Hawkeyes could target for the upcoming season? Let us know in the comments below.