AP FILE PHOTO - Iowa State guard Emily Ryan (11) drives to the basket against Drake’s Ava Hawthorne during the second half of a college basketball game Nov. 24, 2024, at Hilton Coliseum in Ames.

AMES — Iowa State senior Emily Ryan was one of just 19 NCAA women’s basketball players invited to attend the third annual Above the Rim Summit at the Final Four in Tampa.

Hosted by the NCAA’s leadership development team at the Women’s Final Four, the event brought together 19 of the nation’s top women’s basketball student-athletes for four days of interactive, informative and future-enhancing sessions and workshops designed to aid their transition from college basketball to professional careers.

“During this program, our learners had the opportunity to absorb a wealth of knowledge from industry professionals like WNBA players, coaches and development managers,” said Ashley Jocelyn, assistant director of leadership development, programs and initiatives. “This atmosphere was intentionally cultivated to help athletes who are phenomenal on the court transition in becoming knowledgeable professionals after their college basketball careers end.”

The Above the Rim Summit assists attendees in understanding how to navigate potential professional paths in the WNBA and abroad, life beyond playing the game and various careers in athletics. The summit included the following topics:

• The Environment You Keep — building a circle with solid relationships and the importance of networking outside your circle.

• Start with the Seed — setting a foundation with your core values to assist in life through and after sport.

• Water and Nourish You — building off your solid foundation to take the next necessary steps that will help you reach your goals.

• Bloom Big — once you have established your footing in your role, finding a way to be successful.

Attendees engaged with several prominent speakers, including LaChina Robinson, basketball analyst at ESPN; Taj McWilliams-Franklin, player relations and development manager for the WNBA; and Noelle Quinn, Seattle Storm head coach. Attendees also heard from representatives of the NCAA and experts in financial management, personal development, branding and sports media.

“We had a lot of really, really good speakers come in,” said Ryan. “I think my favorite was probably Skyler Diggins and her coach at Seattle, Noelle Quinn. They both had a lot of interesting insight not just within sport but life in general, and they’ve been in all of our shoes as athletes in college, trying to figure out the next steps, regardless of what that might be.”

Ryan is hoping to explore coaching opportunities following her time at Iowa State. Completing one of the best careers in Cyclone women’s basketball history, she is the program’s all-time leader for assists (993) and free throw percentage (.885) and registered top five marks in steals (2nd, 228) and blocks (5th, 109). Ryan is the program’s 11th all-time leading scorer with 1,632 points. The Claflin, Kansas native became just the third every NCAA Division I women’s basketball player to record 1,500 points, 600 rebounds and 900 assists, following Sabrina Ionescu and Caitlin Clark.