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Gloria Crosby (1973–1974)

In 1973, Coach Gloria Crosby led the Iowa State Women's Basketball team through their first season as a Division I program. Prior to that, women were only able to play intramural basketball. The team, at that point known as the "Cagers", played their first game on January 12, 1974, losing to Northern Iowa by 73–38. Crosby and the Iowa State Women's Basketball team got their first win a week later over Wartburg, 51–38. Gloria Crosby coached just one season and finished her basketball coach career at ISU with an 8–8 record. She would become the head coach of the Iowa State Softball team.

Lynn Wheeler (1974–1980)

Lynn Wheeler took over as head coach for ISU's second season of women's basketball (1974). Wheeler coached for six seasons and had winning records in three of those seasons. In Wheeler's second season, she led Iowa State to its first 20 win season. Lynn Wheeler resigned after finishing with 14 straight defeats, stating "I've taken this team as far as I can."

Deb Oing (1980–1984)

In 1981, Deb Oing became Iowa State’s third coach. Over four seasons she coached ISU to a 31–80 record and was coach in 1984 for ISU's only winless conference season (0–14). She coached Iowa State to the program’s first official Big Eight conference win, an 80–76 decision over Oklahoma in Ames on November 27, 1982. In 1982, Oing served with Team USA as an assistant.

Pam Wettig (1984–1992)

Pam Wettig became Iowa State's fourth head coach in 1985. Wettig coached for eight years and finished a 100–121 record. Wettig coached Iowa State to their first win in the Big Eight Conference tournament in 1990 (the Big Eight switched to a single-elimination event in 1983). Wettig was named Big Eight Coach of the Year for the 1985–1986 season.

Theresa Becker (1992–1995)

Theresa Becker became Iowa State’s fifth coach (1993–1995), finishing a disappointing 18–63 over three seasons. Iowa State never finished better than a tie for 7th place in the Big Eight under Becker.

Bill Fennelly (1995–Present)

In 1995 (one year before inception of the Big 12), Iowa State hired former University of Toledo head women's basketball coach, Bill Fennelly. When Fennelly arrived, Iowa State hadn't had a winning season in seven years and only five winning seasons ever. In his first season, Fennelly led the Cyclones to a 17–10 record. That is nearly as many wins as Fennelly's predecessor, Theresa Becker, had in her career (18) at ISU in the three previous years.

Fennelly came to Iowa State after building a successful program at Toledo (.758 overall winning percentage, three NCAA and three WNIT appearances). In nineteen seasons at Iowa State (1995–2014), Fennelly has continued that success, compiling a record of 410–184 overall and 177–118 in conference play.

Under Fennelly, Iowa State advanced to its first NCAA appearance (1997), won its first NCAA game (1998), and hosted five consecutive NCAA first and second-round games (1998–2002) when host sites were earned, not pre-determined. Fennelly was national runner-up for the Associated Press (AP) Coach of the Year and guided the Cyclones to their first national ranking, reaching #22 (both in 1998). Iowa State advanced to the Elite 8 in 1999 and again in 2009. The Cyclones have made it to the Sweet 16 six times (1999–2001, 2009, 2010, 2022). Stacy Frese became Iowa State’s first AP All-American (1999). Iowa State won the Big 12 regular season title (2000) and three Big 12 Conference tournament championships (2000–2001, 2023). Iowa State defeated its first #1 ranked team (Texas Tech, ESPN poll) and advanced to its first post-season Final Four in the WNIT (both 2004).