Audi Crooks, Iowa State’s breakout center and one of the nation’s most feared scorers, is heading south. On Sunday night she announced that she is transferring to Oklahoma State, keeping her towering presence in the Big 12 but changing the jersey. The 6-foot-3 junior averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds this season and will remain in the conference with one year of eligibility left. Crooks broke the news in a short social media video that featured Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt and showed her in a Cowgirls uniform. For Stillwater, it is a blue-chip frontcourt addition that instantly reshapes the conference picture for next season.
What Crooks Brings To Stillwater
Crooks offers a rare blend of high-volume scoring and ruthless efficiency that forces opponents to rethink how they defend the paint. According to ESPN, she ranked as the top player in its transfer portal rankings and revealed her commitment in a video alongside Hoyt. Local coverage has framed the move as a major coup for Hoyt’s rebuilt portal class, per Yahoo Sports, and it is hard to argue when one player can tilt a scouting report this much.
Crooks' Numbers And The Record
The numbers behind the buzz are no joke. Crooks averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds this past season while shooting about 65% from the floor, as noted by CBS Sports. She delivered multiple 40-point games and set Iowa State’s single-game scoring record with a 47-point eruption in November, according to Iowa State Athletics. Those outings explain why she became the most sought-after player in the portal and why coaches viewed her as an instant-impact addition the moment she hit the transfer market.
Ripples Back In Ames
Back in Ames, Crooks’ exit is part of a broader shake-up rather than a one-off surprise. Local reporting says nine Cyclones entered the transfer portal this month, and the turnover has prompted public comments from coach Bill Fennelly about the challenge of rebuilding a roster in the current era, according to KCCI. The Associated Press also confirmed Crooks’ commitment and that she announced it with a social media post, noting she has one season of eligibility remaining. The exodus leaves Iowa State staring at immediate roster questions and gives Cyclone fans a long, nervy offseason of portal watching and roster rebuilding.
For Oklahoma State, the focus shifts to fitting a primary scorer into a Cowgirls lineup that has already been reshaped in the portal era. ESPN highlighted the clip of Crooks in an OSU uniform with Hoyt, calling the commitment a headline grabber for Stillwater. Expect a loud official welcome from the athletic department and an electric Big 12 showdown when the Cowgirls and Cyclones cross paths next season.
