(Ames, IA) — Iowa St. basketball star Audi Crooks is entering the transfer portal and planning to leave the Cyclones. Crooks has one year of eligibility remaining and is one of the biggest names to enter the portal so far.
Crooks made the announcement Thursday morning via X saying, “Thank you Cyclone Nation for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I have built in my time at Iowa St. Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this my home. I want to hank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. To my coaches and all the Iowa State staff, thank you for always supporting me. I still believe the grass is greener where you water it and I’ve done that here. It’s why I want you to hear from me directly that I have decided to enter the portal and explore what it means to take root again in new ground.”
The 6’3″ Junior from Algona, IA was 2nd in the nation in scoring, averaging 25.8 points plus 7.7 rebounds per game. Her scoring has gone up each and every season — she averaged 19.2 points her freshman season and as a sophomore, averaged 23.4 ppg. Crooks is 22 years old and is technically eligible for the WNBA Draft this year but she had said in the past she intends to stay in college for one more year.
Crooks is one of 10 players that have entered the portal including starters Jada Williams (15.5 ppg, 7.8 assists, 3.5 rbg), Addy Brown (13.6 ppg, 8.1 rbg, 5.2 assists) and Kenzie Hare (6.0 ppg, 2nd on team in three pointers made with 52), plus Reese Beaty, Alisa Williams, Reagan Wilson, Lilly Taulelei, Alli Tanke, and Freya Jensen.
Junior Arianna Jackson who started 29 games this season has announced she will return to Iowa St. for her senior season. Evangelia Paulk is a transfer from Wofford who also has indicated her intention to return to ISU next season.
The mass exodus has led to speculation about the future of Iowa St. Head Coach Bill Fennelly and possible retirement. ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard released a statement today and indicated that Fennelly is not going to retire, “One of the many traits that I appreciate about Coach Fennelly is his resiliency. Coach Fennelly wants to be able to finish what he has started and to finish it the right way.” Fennelly is the dean of Big 12 coaches and has been at ISU for 31 years.
The women’s transfer portal opens Monday, April 6 through April 20.
