Iowa softball loses top pitcher, others to portal

Dana Becker

Iowa softball loses top pitcher, others to portal image

It was a chaotic year around the Iowa softball program, but the Hawkeyes still won over 30 games and experienced plenty more success around it all.

Now, with new head coach Stacy May-Johnson officially on board, changes are coming to the roster for the Hawkeyes.

Senior-to-be pitcher Jalen Adams has announced plans to enter the transfer portal, as three of her teammates are joining her.

Adams, who went 25-6 inside the circle with 130 strikeouts and an earned run average of 2.18, helped lead Fort Dodge Senior High to a state championship before joining Iowa. She has 45 career wins and four saves with the program.

Joining Adams in the transfer portal will be Jena Young, Desiree Rivera and Talia Tretton. 

Young is another tough loss, as she led the team with a .359 average while starting all 53 games. She collected 21 extra-base hits, driving in 27 with 43 runs scored.

Rivera started 52 games and hit .290 with 22 RBI while Tretton played in 42 games and had 25 RBI while also going 10-9 as a pitcher with 97 strikeouts. 

The Hawkeyes went 35-18 including a 15-7 Big Ten Conference record this past spring. Head coach Renee Gillispie stepped down in December for personal reasons and interim head coach Brian Levin did the same during a spring trip.

Karl Gollan took over the program following the exit of Levin, but the school opted to give the job to May-Johnson, a former Iowa player and assistant coach.

Dana Becker

Dana Becker is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has been a sports writer since 2000, covering high school sports, the Big 12 and more for On SI, The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others.