Confirmed: Iowa’s Tomi Taiwo, Logan Cook have entered the transfer portal

IOWA CITY — Seniors Tomi Taiwo and Logan Cook have entered the transfer portal as graduate transfers, the University of Iowa confirmed Friday.

Taiwo (Carmel, Ind.) and Cook (Iowa City) played for the Hawkeyes for four years.

Because an extra year was granted to all players from the graduating classes of 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, all of this year’s seniors have the option of returning next year.

Monika Czinano, an Associated Press honorable-mention All-American, announced Feb. 20 that she will be back for a “super-senior” season.

Czinano’s return — plus the entrance of three incoming freshman (Hannah Stuelke, Taylor McCabe and Jada Gyamfi) — brings Iowa’s scholarship number to 14 for 2022-23. Fifteen scholarships are allowed, and there’s just not room for everybody.

“It’s kind of a weird situation,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said in February. “With the kids we have coming in and with Monika coming back ... I couldn’t bring everybody back.

“We had that conversation before the season. It can be an uncomfortable conversation, but I wanted to have it early.”

Taiwo was one of five Hawkeyes who played all 32 games this season. She started five, including a stretch in which both McKenna Warnock and Gabbie Marshall were sidelined with injuries.

She was sixth on the team in scoring (4.6 points per game), shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 46.6 percent from 3-point range and 88.5 percent from the free-throw line. She finished her career with 316 points.

A hometown girl who won a state championship in 2018 at Iowa City West, Cook missed nearly two months of her senior season due to injury. She compiled 92 points and 104 rebounds in her four seasons at Iowa.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com