When Arianna Jackson first got to Iowa State, the young women’s basketball player had her sights set on winning a Big 12 Conference championship.
The goal certainly seemed achievable with Jackson coming to the Cyclones as part of one of the program’s most decorated recruiting classes.
Jackson hasn’t given up on that dream.
That’s just part of the reason why the guard announced on Tuesday, March 31, that she’s returning for her senior season with the Cyclones. Jackson can still achieve greatness in her final season, even with most of her teammates leaving the program.
“For me, it was really kind of a no-brainer,” Jackson said in a phone interview with The Des Moines Register on Wednesday, April 1. “The community, the people here, it’s kind of my second home. To me, that’s just where I felt like I belonged. I kind of haven’t regretted my decision since.”
Jackson, a 5-foot-9 guard from Des Moines, is one of the few members of the 2025-26 Iowa State squad that’s sticking around. A total of nine players from the roster have either announced or told The Register of their plans to enter the transfer portal. Among the departures are fellow starters Audi Crooks, Addy Brown, Kenzie Hare and Jada Williams.
Guard Evangelia Paulk said she plans on coming back. Jackson, Paulk and guard Freya Jensen are the only known returners to a roster that has already undergone a massive makeover. Jensen originally intended to enter the portal, but informed the Register she was staying put after Crooks announced her decision to transfer.
The changes weren’t easy for Jackson to watch.
“It’s definitely been hard,” Jackson. “Losing some of my best friends, it’s not easy at all.”
Jackson arrived at Iowa State as part of a heavily decorated recruiting class that included Crooks, Brown, Kelsey Joens and Jalynn Bristow. Joens and Brown transferred following their sophomore and freshman seasons, respectively. The group of five players helped Iowa State to an appearance in the Big 12 Tournament title game and earned an NCAA Tournament win.
They’ve struggled ever since, with first-round exits in the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons. Even with most of her teammates not returning, Jackson is hopeful the Cyclones can retool and still reach the major milestones she hoped to achieve when she moved to Ames.
“Right now, it’s really just find some people who want to play, who want to be here and do that, but ultimately just have a good last year,” Jackson said. “I think it would be amazing to go out and win a Big 12 championship.”
It may seem far-fetched given the ground the Cyclones have to make up with the roster, but Jackson isn’t giving up hope. Thanks to her returning, anything is possible. She has been a key contributor for Iowa State ever since she stepped foot on campus, earning a starting spot as a freshman.
Jackson has started 85 of the 95 games she’s played in and averaged 5.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. Her value truly showed up last season when she missed time with a knee injury that contributed to a five game losing streak for Iowa State. When Jackson returned, the Cyclones won their next five games.
Jackson is coming off her best season yet, averaging 6.8 points while shooting 43% from beyond the arc. She’s also a tenacious ball defender, strong ball handler and a diehard Iowa State fan who still believes greatness can be achieved next season.
“I think if you put a bunch of people on a court who have a really good mindset and are willing to play as hard as they can for the person next to them, I think you can accomplish a lot,” Jackson said. “I’m not saying that it’s going to happen for sure, but I would say with who we have right now and the dedication they have for the program and for the team and how committed they are to being good teammates, I think there’s definitely some possibility there.”
Jackson’s decision to stay at Iowa State isn’t the first time she’s shown her loyalty. As a standout at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Jackson could have easily transferred to play for a school that had a better shot of winning and providing her with more exposure. She opted to stay.
“I just look back at what I’ve already done here and even at Roosevelt and to me, that was really special,” Jackson said. “And to me, I just didn’t really want to give that up. I think that’s part of why I want to stay so loyal is just that I’m not willing to give that all up for money or another opportunity.”
Jackson’s senior season will be her last playing basketball. She graduates this spring with a double major in business management and marketing and then begins work on her master’s. She’ll do it all at the place she started. While Jackson admits there was temptation, she didn’t succumb to it.
“Obviously, when you kind of find out that obviously there’s opportunity and money out there, it’s not always easiest when you’re hearing that other people may leave,” Jackson said. “But at the end of the day, I feel like everyone has to make the best decision for themselves and so that’s kind of what I did.”
This story has been updated to reflect the transfer of Audi Crooks, which she announced on April 2, the day after this story was originally published.
Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Arianna Jackson explains why she’s returning to Iowa State women’s basketball
Reporting by Tommy Birch, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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