Audi Crooks says her decision to leave Iowa State came after “honest conversations” about the future, with the standout scorer eventually deciding that Oklahoma State was the right fit after three seasons in Ames.
The move sent one of the Big 12’s most productive players to a conference rival and came after a season in which Crooks averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, earned All-America second-team honors and was named ’s No. 1 player in the transfer portal. She also left after Iowa State fell to Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA tournament, with nine Iowa State players transferring in the offseason.
Why Crooks chose Oklahoma State
Crooks did not try to dress up the decision. Speaking during Big 12 media day on Wednesday, she said it was never easy to leave a program she had been part of for three years, but that she reached a point where she had to be honest about the situation.
“Of the ones that transferred, I was the very last to leave. It’s never easy to make those types of decisions. I was there for three years, so I’m not going to sit around and be callous about that,” she said.
She added: “I have a lot of love and care for those people and I always will. But at the end of the day, I had some really honest conversations about the ability to rebuild a roster, and then saw that this [Oklahoma State] roster was already looking pretty dang strong. I entered the portal and then started having those conversations with other schools. I figured this would be my place.”
That is the key point in the transfer. Crooks was not simply chasing a change of scenery; she was weighing roster direction, fit and the chance to join a team that already looked ready to compete.
Why Oklahoma State appealed
Crooks also pointed to Oklahoma State women’s head coach Jacie Hoyt as a major reason for the move. She said she had played against Hoyt’s teams for the last three years and came to respect the edge and competitiveness they brought.
“I played against [Oklahoma State women’s head coach Jacie Hoyt] for the last three years and lost quite a few of those matchups, so I just loved her competitive spirit and nature,” Crooks said.
Oklahoma State’s additions did not stop there. The program also brought in Liv McGill, who averaged 22.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists last season, and Crooks made it clear she sees the fit in basketball terms as well as personal ones.
“And then when Liv McGill comes here, I want her to be my point guard,” she said.
What happens when Iowa State meets Oklahoma State again?
There will be plenty of attention on Crooks when Oklahoma State travels to Ames on Jan. 9 to face Iowa State. That is the obvious circle-the-date moment in this story, even if Crooks is trying not to get ahead of herself.
“I think I don’t try to look too far ahead. I try to stay present in the moment,” she said. “I mean, we’ll get there when we get there, but that’s a long way away. We’ve got to handle all of our business that’s in front of us before we get to that point.”
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly was also asked about the likely reaction when Crooks returns. He did not pretend to know exactly what to expect.
“I can’t control the reception,” Fennelly said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be. It’ll be mixed, probably.”
He also made clear Crooks’ impact on the program will not be forgotten. “She played three really good years, and she added a lot to our team. She’s part of a really good team now,” he said.
That is where this move now stands: a major transfer, a major conference story and a reunion that should bring a strong response when the teams meet in Ames in January.
