Former Iowa State women’s basketball star Audi Crooks will play for Big 12 rival Oklahoma State next season.
The Cyclones All-American and nation’s leading scorer has committed to the Cowgirls out of the transfer portal, sources confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on April 20.
Crooks later posted the news herself on her Instagram with a slideshow of her in Oklahoma State gear and a caption containing orange hearts and a cowboy hat emoji.
Widely viewed as the top target out of more than 1,500 players in this year’s transfer portal, Crooks was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 selection across three seasons at Iowa State. This past season, she led the nation in scoring with 25.8 points per game and also averaged 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.
Crooks, a 6-foot-3 center, started 95 of the 99 games she played at Iowa State and was the team’s primary offensive weapon for three seasons. She used strength and skill to average 22.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game with the Cyclones.
The success earned Crooks a trio of All-American honors from The Associated Press, The Sporting News and USBWA this season. Crooks was also named the Big 12’s preseason player of the year.
The Algona native announced on April 2 that she would be entering the portal. Her departure was a huge setback as Iowa State lost a charismatic star who blossomed into a dominant scorer upon arriving in Ames.
“Thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day,” Crooks posted on social media on April 2. “I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State.
“Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home. I want to thank 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 it directly from me that I have decided to enter the transfer portal and explore what it means to take root again in new ground.”
USA TODAY and the Register’s Tommy Birch contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Former Iowa State star Audi Crooks to transfer to Oklahoma State
Reporting by Register staff report, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
