The Iowa Hawkeyes have secured a major recruit, and they have their former star, Caitlin Clark, to thank for it.
In 2021, Emely Rodriguez made the journey from the Dominican Republic to the United States, where she began her high school basketball career at Central Point Christian Academy in Florida. There, she helped lead the team to a state championship. She continued her basketball journey at the University of Central Florida, where she played for the Knights during her freshman year.
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Standing at 6'0", Rodriguez quickly made an impact, averaging 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Her impressive performance earned her a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. However, Rodriguez soon found herself entering the transfer portal, with one school in particular on her mind, Iowa.
What drew her to the Hawkeyes? A familiar name. Caitlin Clark.
Rodriguez admitted she hadn't followed college basketball before arriving in the States, but once she saw Clark's rise to fame, Iowa quickly became a team she wanted to join. Now, with Clark's legacy in mind, Rodriguez has decided to transfer to Iowa and play under head coach Jan Jensen.
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Looking ahead, Rodriguez hopes to follow in Clark's footsteps and make it to the WNBA one day, just like the Hawkeyes' legendary former player.