Iowa State’s Crooks named to Lisa Leslie Award watch list
Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks has been named to the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year preseason watch list, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.
It is the second time in Crooks’ career that she has been named to the award’s watch list after being selected as a top-five finalist last season.
Crooks joins teammates Jada Williams (Nancy Lieberman Award) and Addy Brown (Katrina McClain Award) as Cyclones on Naismith Starting 5 watch lists this season. Iowa State is one of 17 women’s programs to have at least three student-athletes recognized.
With men’s players Tamin Lipsey (Bob Cousy Award), Milan Momcilovic (Julius Erving Award) and Joshua Jefferson (Karl Malone Award) also earning preseason recognition, Iowa State is one of five schools — along with UCLA, UConn, Duke and Tennessee — to have six or more players named to the watch lists.
Crooks enters her junior season as one of the nation’s top post players. The Algona, Iowa, native is the only Cyclone to earn All-America and unanimous all-conference honors in each of her first two seasons.
She set single-season school records last year with 820 points and 329 made field goals, leading the Big 12 with 23.4 points per game while shooting over 60% from the field. On Jan. 5, she became the fastest player in program history — and the third-fastest in Big 12 history — to reach 1,000 career points, accomplishing the feat in her 49th game.
Crooks scored in double figures in every game last season and carries a 67-game streak into the 2025–26 campaign. She recorded seven games with 30 or more points, 23 games with at least 20 points, and 10 double-doubles. Her season-high 36 points came in a win over then-No. 14 Kansas State in the regular-season finale.
She also scored 27 points in Iowa State’s NCAA Tournament win over Princeton, helping head coach Bill Fennelly record his 800th career victory.
Crooks ranks 14th on Iowa State’s all-time scoring list with 1,455 points. She holds the program record for career scoring average (21.4 points per game), ranks third in field-goal percentage (.592) and eighth in made field goals (587).
Iowa State opens the regular season Nov. 3 against St. Thomas at 11 a.m. for Field Trip Day at Hilton Coliseum.
