Audi Crooks’ journey from small town sensation to top center unfolds at No. 8 in Iowa

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State’s coaches and athletes were at the Algona stop on the Cyclone Club’s statewide meet-and-greet tour this summer when Audi Crooks’ popularity really registered with women’s basketball coach Bill Fennelly. Her signature line was dwarfed by that of football coach Matt Campbell.

“That never happens,” Fennelly said.

Crooks has been beloved by the Algona community for years, not only for her prodigious scoring production at Bishop Garrigan High School, but also for her enthusiastic participation in virtually every youth activity while growing up in the town of 5,000 two hours north of Iowa. State Campus in Ames.

Her celebrity as an athlete grew as she defied modest expectations entering her freshman season to become a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 center, and she introduced herself to the country when she erupted for 40 points against Maryland in the NCAA -tournament.

Crooks earned honorable mention to the preseason Associated Press All-America team and, along with three other returning starters, leads No. 8 Iowa State to a season of high expectations beginning against Chicago State.

She is also ready to take over the role of one of the faces of women’s basketball, a role that suits the 19-year-old known for her quick smile and bubbly personality.

“I never expected all the attention and spotlight,” she said. “I’ve tried to deal with it with grace. Any attention I can give to Iowa State women’s basketball and the women’s basketball movement, I will be happy to do so.”

Crooks scored 2,734 points in high school, third all-time among Iowa girls, and set a state tournament record for all classes with 49 points in the 2023 Class 1A championship game. But 1A is the state’s smallest class , and there were questions about whether she could make a quick and successful transition to college basketball in power conferences.

“Most people thought she couldn’t do it,” Fennelly said.

It wasn’t just a matter of Crooks’ skill. With a height of 1.80 meters she is an imposing figure. She has good hands and feet. However, some schools were concerned about whether she could handle the speed of the game.

Fennelly credited Erin Brocka, the program’s director of strength and conditioning, for designing a program to get Crooks ready for her freshman season and Crooks for her dedication to following the plan. Crooks said she hoped to play maybe 10 minutes per game as a freshman, maybe more as the season progressed. She had an average of 26.

Fennelly set his sights a little higher, telling her she would make an impact if she averaged 10 points and five rebounds per game.

She did so much more. She joined the starting lineup in the fifth game and ended up averaging 19.2 points per game and shooting 57.7% from the floor, the best mark by a Division I freshman last season. Her 635 points were a school freshman record, obliterating Megan Taylor’s previous mark of 460 points in 1997–98.

“Anyone would be lying if they said they expected it,” fifth-year guard Emily Ryan said. “You can’t expect a big boom right away. Still, it was so cool to see. She had so much belief in herself, and everyone had so much belief in her that she could be who she is. Just to see how she worked every day to get to that point is really special.”

Crooks scored at least 20 points in 17 games, had more than 10 rebounds in eight games and finished with eight double-doubles.

She was never better than against Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Iowa State erased a 20-point deficit to win 93-86, with Crooks leading the way. She recorded the fourth 40-point game in program history, going 18 of 20 against Bill Walton of UCLA in 1973 to score at least 40 points while shooting 90% or better in a tournament game. Crooks also matched Brittney Griner’s Big 12-best point total in a tournament game.

That performance, by a freshman from small-town Iowa, attracted more fan and media attention than Fennelly imagined.

“Her world changed when we played Maryland,” Fennelly said. “That weekend probably changed her life forever. I didn’t expect it. I probably should have too in the modern world we find ourselves in in collegiate sports.

Not all attention was positive. Crooks has been a frequent target of abuse over her physical stature.

Crooks has long defended himself against mean tweets. She said she was bullied growing up because of her size, and she tries to ignore the nasty comments.

“No matter what you do in life, there will always be someone who says you can’t do it, or you shouldn’t do it, or you don’t look good,” she said. “I just have to take the high road with it. At the end of the day, if they want to comment, you’re watching me. You turned on your TV to watch me play so you could say something mean. That’s great. I love it. Thank you for your viewership. That’s how I look at it.”

Fennelly and her teammates said fans are drawn to Crooks, a self-described people person who is often stopped for a photo or a chat when she’s out with friends and family. Now that record-breaking Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark has departed for WNBA stardom, Crooks is poised to take over as the most popular female athlete in the state, if she hasn’t already.

“I can tell you that I don’t know if I’ve ever been around someone who was more ready to deal with it,” Fennelly said. “Her personality, the way she goes about her business… the way she handles her post-match press conferences, the way she handles everything. She’s ready for anything, and I think she understands who she is and what she means to our state and what she means to our program.