Ryan's Career Winding Down

[acoustimac]

Nice article (despite several format errors) about Ryan. There are lots of folk who are critical of her on these boards, but there is simply no denying the huge impact she's had on this program.

Check out this article from Des Moines Register:

Iowa State women's basketball: The talk that led Cyclones star Emily Ryan to Ames

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/basketball-womens/2025/02/27/iowa-state-womens-basketball-cyclones-big-12-conference-emily-ryan-bill-fennelly/80252928007/

 

[MJ29]

Emily stayed when everyone else from her class left.
She's a leader on the team.
She's fought battles we probably don't know fully (though she's shared a decent amount).
Em will go down as one of my favorite Cyclone women players. I know Sunday is a gold out, but I'm wearing my Emily NIL shirt.

 

[kcdc4isu]

Emily stayed when everyone else from her class left.
She's a leader on the team.
She's fought battles we probably don't know fully (though she's shared a decent amount).
Em will go down as one of my favorite Cyclone women players. I know Sunday is a gold out, but I'm wearing my Emily NIL shirt.

I will be wearing mine for sure.

 

[ackatch]

Emily stayed when everyone else from her class left.
She's a leader on the team.
She's fought battles we probably don't know fully (though she's shared a decent amount).
Em will go down as one of my favorite Cyclone women players. I know Sunday is a gold out, but I'm wearing my Emily NIL shirt.

Ohhhh that's a good idea. I forgot about mine!

 

[swclone11]

I’ll probably have a sappier post once the season is officially over, but I’m not sure there has been a more critical player to Iowa State women’s basketball in a long time. Emily Ryan is what it means to be a Cyclone. On the court and off the court, she’s shown herself to be a person of high character and impeccable leadership. I’m not sure of someone who has given so much to their university in their time playing for them. I only hope that she knows that we truly appreciate her and everything she has done for us. Truly, without Emily Ryan, who knows where this program would be today. She will be one of my Cyclone all-timers.

 

[swiacy]

Whenever I’ve watched the Cyclone women during her career, I’ve been struck by her grit and motor. Energizer Bunny and not much to her. She’s the definition of tough. Pound for pound she gets more out of herself than far more talented athletically point guards which means she’s smart and has a to of want to.

 

[DBQR4CY]

My daughter and I are going to the game on Sunday and my daughter has the Cyclone Fanatic Emily Ryan shirt and she's been her favorite player this year. We went to a game earlier this year and both daughters got to give the team high fives going to and from the locker room. It was awesome to see the the joy the kids got from it. Is there a time at all to perhaps get my daughters shirt signed by Ryan? We will be there early but will be staying for the Senior Day speech.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Emily stayed when everyone else from her class left.
She's a leader on the team.
She's fought battles we probably don't know fully (though she's shared a decent amount).
Em will go down as one of my favorite Cyclone women players. I know Sunday is a gold out, but I'm wearing my Emily NIL shirt.

This was a point that I wanted to make. It would have been so easy to just leave. Much easier than staying. People who do that are worthy of special recognition.

 

[NWICY]

My daughter and I are going to the game on Sunday and my daughter has the Cyclone Fanatic Emily Ryan shirt and she's been her favorite player this year. We went to a game earlier this year and both daughters got to give the team high fives going to and from the locker room. It was awesome to see the the joy the kids got from it. Is there a time at all to perhaps get my daughters shirt signed by Ryan? We will be there early but will be staying for the Senior Day speech.

Players usually come out to visit with family after the game. Hang out and wait would be my suggestion. Then ask her respectfully I'd be shocked if she wouldn't get it signed. The flip side would be get there early and ask coming out for that early shoot around?

 

[bawbie]

To me, the single most amazing Emily Ryan stat - and something I don't believe I've ever heard an announcer mention - is that she is #5 in the career list in blocked shots. FIFTH!

 

[JP4CY]

This was a point that I wanted to make. It would have been so easy to just leave. Much easier than staying. People who do that are worthy of special recognition.

I ran into George Condit 3 outside of the men's Sweet 16 in Chicago and we talked about GC4 sticking around and he said the same thing. Talked about Ames, Iowa State, the fans, etc.

(GC3 is an awesome human)

 

[Cyclonepride]

I ran into George Condit 3 outside of the men's Sweet 16 in Chicago and we talked about GC4 sticking around and he said the same thing. Talked about Ames, Iowa State, the fans, etc.

(GC3 is an awesome human)

He seems like a really cool dude from my interactions with him on Twitter.

 

[kcdc4isu]

Like so many have said about Emily she is special. She has fought through injuries, other health battles, stayed true to Iowa State and has been a great leader. She is a true coach on the floor and on the bench pumping up players while playing and sitting with them on the bench. I will be wearing my T shirt which I do for every game as a former point guard she is one of the best I have ever watched. If she decides to not try the WNBA we should do what ever to get her on our staff as she is a positive asset we need. Go Cyclones and THANK YOU Emily for allowing us the privilege of watching you for the last 5 seasons.

 

[CYdTracked]

Like so many have said about Emily she is special. She has fought through injuries, other health battles, stayed true to Iowa State and has been a great leader. She is a true coach on the floor and on the bench pumping up players while playing and sitting with them on the bench. I will be wearing my T shirt which I do for every game as a former point guard she is one of the best I have ever watched. If she decides to not try the WNBA we should do what ever to get her on our staff as she is a positive asset we need. Go Cyclones and THANK YOU Emily for allowing us the privilege of watching you for the last 5 seasons.

My thoughts exactly. If you read the article linked above it says her playing career will be over at the end of the season and she wants to get into coaching. Doesn't sound like there is a spot on our staff for her now but Bill is going to help her and is open to having her back if one opens up.

You've heard over the years the coaches and players rave about how she is like another coach when she is not in the game. We saw it first hand last year when she sat out to start the season how active she was trying to help any way she could from the bench and I've even noticed it sometimes during time outs or when she is not in the game how she makes a point to talk with another player about something and while you can't make out what the discussion is about, just from her body language you can tell she is trying to teach or explain something in the moment.

 

[kcdc4isu]

My thoughts exactly. If you read the article linked above it says her playing career will be over at the end of the season and she wants to get into coaching. Doesn't sound like there is a spot on our staff for her now but Bill is going to help her and is open to having her back if one opens up.

You've heard over the years the coaches and players rave about how she is like another coach when she is not in the game. We saw it first hand last year when she sat out to start the season how active she was trying to help any way she could from the bench and I've even noticed it sometimes during time outs or when she is not in the game how she makes a point to talk with another player about something and while you can't make out what the discussion is about, just from her body language you can tell she is trying to teach or explain something in the moment.

I know coach has stated that there is not a current opening but if I was coach I would pay her myself out of my salary. She is what we need to keep a staff updated to coach todays players.

 

[CYdTracked]

I know coach has stated that there is not a current opening but if I was coach I would pay her myself out of my salary. She is what we need to keep a staff updated to coach todays players.

Trying not to get negative here on the topic but there is at least 1 coach on the staff I wish would spread their wings a bit and seek another opportunity if they have any ambition of being a head coach if they have any ambition of being in the mix for head coach at ISU when Bill retires. I'm sure most know who I am referring to without naming them. Bill is too loyal to try to push out any of his assistants either have some of them have been with him for most of his time here too.

 

[bozclone]

Emily Ryan = warrior

 

[swclone11]

My thoughts exactly. If you read the article linked above it says her playing career will be over at the end of the season and she wants to get into coaching. Doesn't sound like there is a spot on our staff for her now but Bill is going to help her and is open to having her back if one opens up.

You've heard over the years the coaches and players rave about how she is like another coach when she is not in the game. We saw it first hand last year when she sat out to start the season how active she was trying to help any way she could from the bench and I've even noticed it sometimes during time outs or when she is not in the game how she makes a point to talk with another player about something and while you can't make out what the discussion is about, just from her body language you can tell she is trying to teach or explain something in the moment.

Others have touched on it a bit as well and you did a great job too, but I think its so important to note how key Emily was at the beginning of last year. We had freshmen, barely out of HS, that took the eventual national runner's up to the wire and led with 5 minutes left in the game. It's clear her leadership had a profound impact on them, in some ways maybe off the court more than on it. The article said something like "she is the first to give credit after a win and the first to take blame after a loss". I don't think that's necessarily the best way to look at things in life, but that level of introspection and desire to learn and improve is something that I think our program could use.

 

[CYdTracked]

Others have touched on it a bit as well and you did a great job too, but I think its so important to note how key Emily was at the beginning of last year. We had freshmen, barely out of HS, that took the eventual national runner's up to the wire and led with 5 minutes left in the game. It's clear her leadership had a profound impact on them, in some ways maybe off the court more than on it. The article said something like "she is the first to give credit after a win and the first to take blame after a loss". I don't think that's necessarily the best way to look at things in life, but that level of introspection and desire to learn and improve is something that I think our program could use.

I got to see first hand this fall how tight knit this team is off the court. One of the first FB games of the season we wound up parking next to who we found out shortly after setting up our tailgate was Arianna Jackson's parents. Got talking with them and really enjoyed our day socializing with them. Reagan Wilson's parents joined them after awhile and I recall one of our conversations with both Jackson's and Wilson's parents how Emily Ryan was a big reason why their daughters chose ISU. Apparently Drake (Jenny B was the coach at the time) REALLY wanted Jackson and Bill was trying really hard to get Jackson to commit. Bill even had Dan McCarney call her 1 night to pitch ISU (her dad played for Dan btw) but she didn't commit until after her official visit. Her parents said Emily Ryan was a big reason why she was ready to commit right after that visit. Wilson's parents had a similar story how Ryan was a big part of recruiting Reagan to commit too. That really impressed me how much influence and impression she apparently makes on recruiting.

They told us the whole team was eventually coming over for lunch, when they did we didn't see Ryan with them at first but maybe 30 minutes later she arrived and the whole team got excited and jumped up to greet her "Emily Ryan!!!" Was really fun to watch the team have some fun from taking pictures with fans to playing some tailgate games to some of them doing some dances to songs - Williams and Wilson in particular were doing some dancing to country songs and having a blast. We didn't bother the players while they were there other than I got a photo with Addy and Audi since they are my daughter's favorite players and were jealous dad got to meet them.

I wonder who is going to step into the role of team leader after Ryan and be that player everyone gravitates to and wants to come to ISU to play because of. Maybe it's Audi as she has such a big personality? Big shoes to fill regardless of who it is because Ryan is such a humble leader and had such a big impact while not having to be in the main spotlight.

 

[ZorkClone]

I’m trying to remember, will the sequence honoring her be before or after the game?