Jhaliana Guy’s verbal commitment to Stanford last spring brought with it disappointment for home-state Iowa. The Hawkeyes were hoping to land the nationally-ranked point guard from Clinton.

As it turned out, they’ll get another chance to win her over. Guy reopened her recruitment on May 31. Iowa was among the first schools to contact the junior to make sure she knew she still had a scholarship offer. The gesture was appreciated.

“I have a lot of respect for Iowa and what they’ve built as a program,” she said. “I’ve had great interactions with the staff, and it’s definitely a school I’ve paid attention to over the years.”

Like the first go-around, the Hawkeyes will be facing very stiff competition to gain Guy’s pledge. In addition to them, she’s planning to visit Duke, UConn, UCLA, USC, Texas, Illinois, Iowa State, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and TCU.

“I’m excited to learn more about different programs and find the best fit for me,” she said.

Iowa does enjoy an exposure advantage when it comes to the in-state prospect. She visited campus when the Hawkeyes played host to USC in February of last year.

“I grew up watching Iowa and enjoyed following the program,” she said.

If there is a proximity edge, however, it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor in her choice.

“Being the home-state school makes it familiar, but I’m trying to evaluate every program the same way and find the best fit for me,” Guy said.

Prep Redzone Iowa ranks Guy as the state’s top overall prospect in the 2028 Class. The scouting service views her as the No. 17 player nationally in the cycle.

As a Clinton sophomore last season, Guy averaged 24.4 points, 3.3 steals, 1.8 assists and 2.1 rebounds. She became a finalist for the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s U17 National Team this spring and has shined with Chicago-based Mac Irvin Fire, one of the country’s top AAU programs.