(Ames, IA). – Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks has been named one of five finalists for the 2026 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Award, announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The top five is made up of three seniors and two juniors.
A unanimous First-Team All-Big 12 Conference player for the third-straight season, Crooks is averaging a league-best 25.5 points per game while shooting nearly 65 percent from the floor as the nation’s second leading scorer. The 6-3 center is one of only two players in NCAA Division I basketball (men’s or women’s) to average at least 25.5 points per game while shooting at least 64.7 percent from the floor. The other was Iowa’s Megan Gustafson in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Gustafson won the Lisa Leslie Award in 2019.
Crooks scored her 2,000th career point in her 89th game, becoming the fastest Big 12 women’s basketball player to reach the milestone. The Algona, Iowa native averaged 7.8 rebounds while recording 12 double-doubles this season. She has scored in double figures in 97 consecutive games, the longest active streak nationally, and is the only player in the country to record multiple 40-point games this season.
Fans can support their favorite players on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one vote during the final selection process. For more information on the Naismith Starting 5 awards and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallU and #LeslieAward on X (formally Twitter) and Instagram.
Crooks has also been named the captain of the 2025-26 Allstate NACDA Good Works Winter Team. The award is presented to 20 student-athletes whose service strengthened their campuses and communities.
The Allstate NACDA Good Works Team was created to spotlight and reward student-athletes for their outstanding community service. Honorees include men and women from all NCAA divisions, with student-athletes recognized each season across winter, spring and fall sports.
This season’s team was selected from 180 student-athletes nominated by their schools. Honorees receive a monetary contribution from Allstate to further support their community service, with the team captain receiving an additional contribution and Good Works Team letterman jacket. Iowa State men’s basketball’s Tamin Lipsey was also a member of the team.
Off the court, Audi is equally influential as the founder of the Audi Crooks Foundation, which empowers youth through education, athletics, and the arts. Her initiatives, including support for Boys & Girls Clubs, food security programs, and her widely praised “Knock N Dash” care package effort, have mobilized entire communities and inspired young volunteers across Kossuth County. Balancing elite athletic performance with meaningful service, Audi continues to elevate both her team and the people she serves.
