The Iowa State women's basketball program officially opened its doors in the fall of 1973, marking the university's first varsity offering for female athletes.
Their inaugural home venue was the modest P.E. Building, a facility that would later be renamed the Forker Building, where the team played its first eight games.
The 1973‑74 season ended with an 8‑8 record, a respectable showing for a brand‑new program still finding its footing.
Two years later, the Cyclones posted a 12‑9 mark, signaling a steady climb in competitiveness.
The 1975‑76 campaign represented a watershed moment, as the team compiled a 20‑8 record, the best finish up to that point, and began to attract wider attention.
Central to that surge were standout players such as Karen Gerard, Louise McDonald and Pat Hodgson, whose performances helped reshape expectations for the program.
Coaches Gloria Crosby and Lynn Wheeler guided the squad through this period, instilling a work ethic that would become a hallmark of the team.
By the 1976‑77 season the Cyclones were splitting home games between the Forker Building and the larger Hilton Coliseum, a move that reflected both growing popularity and the need for a bigger stage.
Games held in the Forker Building carried the (P) designation, while those in Hilton Coliseum were marked (H), a notation that would appear in box scores for years to come.
The 1977‑78 season produced a 13‑15 record, illustrating the challenges of competing on a larger stage while still building a foundation.
A year later, the team endured a 10‑19 slate, but the experience proved invaluable as the program prepared for its next phase.
The 1979‑80 season concluded with a 6‑19 record, bringing the seven‑year stretch to a close and setting the stage for a new era.
A Foundation for the Future
Through eight seasons, the Cyclones transitioned from a fledgling squad in a small gymnasium to a team that regularly filled the iconic Hilton Coliseum, laying the groundwork for future triumphs.