Crooks Named to WBCA Wade Trophy Watch List

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks have been named to the Wade Trophy watch list, announced by the WBCA on Wednesday. It is the second time in Crooks' career that she has been featured on the award's watch list after appearing on the list a season ago.

Crooks enters her junior season as one of the most dominant low posts in the country. She is the only Cyclone women's basketball player to earn All-America and unanimous all-conference honors in her first two seasons. The Algona, Iowa native improved upon an impressive freshman season, setting single-season points (820) and made field goals (329) records at ISU. She led the Big 12 Conference with 23.4 points per game while shooting over 60 percent from the floor. On January 5 in her 49^th career game, Crooks scored her 1,000^th career point and became the fastest Cyclone and third-fastest Big 12 women's basketball player to the milestone. She scored in double figures in every game in 2024-25 and has an active streak of 68 games over her career.

The two-time Big 12 selection picked up right where she left off to start her junior season, pouring in a game-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor. She also went 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

As a sophomore, Crooks finished seven games with 30-plus points and 23 of 35 games with 20 or more points. She also finished with 10 double-doubles. The 6-3 center notched a season-high 36 points, going 14-of-18 from the floor and 8-of-11 from the free throw line against then-No. 14 Kansas State to lead the Cyclones to an 85-63 victory in the regular season finale. She led ISU to an NCAA Championships win over Princeton with 27 points, helping head coach Bill Fennelly to his 800^th career win in his 30^th season. Crooks enters her junior season as Iowa State's 14^th all-time leading scorer with 1,455 points. At this time, she holds the top mark for Iowa State career scoring average (21.4 PPG), the third-highest career field goal percentage (.592) and the eighth-most made field goals (587).

No. 14 Iowa State takes on Southern tonight in Hilton Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.