Iowa State star Audi Crooks entering the transfer portal, the latest to leave team in mass exodus
Iowa State star Audi Crooks announced Thursday she is entering the transfer portal, making her the fourth starter and 10th Cyclones player overall to say they will move on after a disappointing second half of the season following a start that matched the best in program history.Crooks, one of the most popular players in the women's game, averaged 25.8 points per game this season to rank second in the nation. She averaged 22.8 points over 99 games in her three seasons since the Cyclones signed her out of Algona, Iowa.I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I've done that here, Crooks said in a social media post. It's why I want you to hear from me directly that I have decided to enter the portal and explore what it means to take root again in new ground.Crooks follows starters Addy Brown, Mackenzie Hare and Jada Williams into the portal in addition to six reserves.Arianna Jackson is the only starter to announce she would return next season.Coach Bill Fennelly did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the departures.Athletic director Jamie Pollard, in a video released by the school Thursday, said Fennelly, who turns 69 next month, would return for a 32nd season. Pollard attributed the mass exodus to the state of college athletics and noted other women's basketball programs are going through similar upheaval.In today's world, student-athletes transfer for a lot of different reasons, Pollard said. "Some leave because they're searching for more playing time. Some leave because they're homesick. Some leave because they're disgruntled. And now some leave because they just want the opportunity to maximize their ability to receive revenue from the school they're at.Know this, he added, regardless of why a student-athlete leaves Iowa State, we'll always wish them well and thank them for their time as a Cyclone.The two-week portal window for women's basketball begins Monday, and Pollard said the Cyclones' fan support, history and coaching staff will make Iowa State an attractive destination.And know this," Pollard said, our coaches will have more than enough revenue-share dollars to be able to attract some of the best student-athletes possible.The Cyclones were picked second in the Big 12 preseason coaches' poll, started 14-0 to match the 2013-14 team for the best start and were ranked No. 10 for five straight weeks. They then dropped five straight games and went on to tie for seventh in the conference at 10-8. They were a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost their opener to No. 9 seed Syracuse 72-63.Crooks is the biggest name in the portal so far. She is a three-time All-Big 12 first-team pick and has scored in double figures in 98 straight games, the nations longest active streak.She caught the nation's attention as a freshman when she scored 40 points in an NCAA Tournament win over Maryland. Nearly unstoppable in the low post, she scored at least 30 points in 17 games in three seasons and went over 40 five times this season on her way to making the Associated Press All-America second-team.Off the court, Crooks attracted crowds for her willingness to engage with fans. She landed name, image and likeness deals with the Iowa Pork Producers, US Cellular and a number of other sponsors and used some of her earnings to buy new uniforms for her high school, Bishop Garrigan in Algona, and support other local causes.___AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
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