There was a lot of speculation about what Iowa State Cyclones star center Audi Crooks’ future would hold after her team was beaten by the Michigan Wolverines in the first round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
Crooks played great in that game, tallying 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists in 33 minutes played. This marked the final contest of what was a stellar sophomore campaign where Crooks averaged 23.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She earned third-team All-America honors as a result of this success.
However, the Cyclones just didn’t have enough firepower to compete with Michigan outside of Crooks. And because of uncertainty about whether Iowa State could do enough to become true national championship contenders in Crooks’ tenure, many fans wanted to see her transfer after last season ended.
But Crooks shut this idea down with a heartfelt Instagram post about a week after Iowa State was eliminated, saying, “Dear Cyclone Nation, Thank you to all the coaches and fans that have supported me on this journey. After much thought and consideration… quit asking! I am right where I want to be! Let’s run it back. #LOYALforevertrue”…