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Iowa Women's Basketball lands four-star center Layla Hays

On3 imageby:Kyle Huesmann•10/12/24•

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Four-star center Layla Hays has committed to Iowa. (Photo by Dennis Scheidt)
Four-star center Layla Hays has committed to Iowa. (Photo by Dennis Scheidt)

The wait is over, Jan Jensen has landed her first recruit since taking over the Iowa women’s basketball head coach position. 2025 6’5, four-star center Layla Hays (Wasilla, AK) announced her commitment to Iowa during her official visit on Saturday. Hays chose the Hawkeyes over Washington, Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, Duke, North Carolina and Gonzaga. She is rated as the #2 center and #68 player in the class by ESPN.

“The biggest thing for me was the family aspect, and the sense of community,” Hays told HawkeyeReport after her first official visit back in February. “They treat each other with so much love and respect that you can tell everybody even the managers feel wanted. I really love how they promote women in sports and becoming future leaders, after their time at Iowa.”

Playing for Wasilla High School, Hays averaged 20 points,15 rebounds and 2 blocks per game as a sophomore for a Warriors team that advanced all the way to the ASAA Class 4A state championship game. This past season as a junior, Layla led Wasilla to a Class 4A State Title, averaging 16.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots per game.

Layla, despite being from Alaska, has a connection to Iowa through her aunt Leah Magner. She played her college basketball at Iowa, including two seasons under Lisa Bluder, Jan Jensen and Jenni Fitzgerald during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. Magner finished her career with 819 points, 360 rebounds and 262 assists.

Hays joins four-star wing Addie Deal (#14 by On3) and four-star small forward Journey Houston (#85 by ESPN) as the third commit for the class of 2025. Four-star forward Manuella Alves-Fernandez (#59 by ESPN) is on an official visit this weekend.

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