Audi Crooks Shocks Cyclones Fans: NCAA’s No. 2 Scorer Enters Transfer Portal—Top Destinations Revealed

Iowa State freshman center Audi Crooks has exploded onto the national stage, rewriting record books and search-engine results alike. The 6-3 Algona, Iowa, native poured in 40 points on 18-for-20 shooting in her NCAA Tournament debut against Maryland, the most ever by a freshman in the women’s tournament and the second-best single-game field-goal percentage in Cyclone history. The historic outburst capped a meteoric rookie campaign in which Crooks averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and shot 64.9 percent from the floor—numbers that dwarf most veteran post players. According to Iowa State, those marks reset program freshman records for scoring and efficiency while ranking second nationally among all Division I players. Crooks is more than a box-score curiosity. Her soft hands, wide frame and polished footwork give Iowa State a matchup nightmare on every possession. Opponents who choose single coverage get buried on the low block; double-teams leave shooters like Addy Brown and Emily Ryan wide open on the perimeter, fueling an offense that finished top-15 in offensive rating this season. “She’s one of a kind,” head coach Bill Fennelly said after Crooks’ near-perfect 40-point night, calling her “the most prepared freshman post I’ve ever coached.” The Maryland masterpiece marked Crooks’ fourth 40-point game of the year, a feat unmatched by any other Power Six player in 2025-26. With every viral stat line, Google searches for “Audi Crooks” spike, and Cyclone highlights dominate TikTok and YouTube feeds. Looking ahead, the Big 12’s newly crowned Freshman of the Year faces a decision: declare for the 2026 WNBA Draft, where she’s already projected as a lottery pick, or return to Ames and chase an NCAA championship on a loaded Iowa State roster. Name-image-likeness deals are also piling up, making a sophomore encore financially viable. Regardless of her choice, Crooks has already shifted the balance of power in women’s college basketball. Her combination of size, touch and court vision evokes comparisons to WNBA greats like Sylvia Fowles and Tina Charles, yet her social-media savvy and Midwest roots give her a unique brand resonance. For now, fans and recruiters alike are refreshing highlight reels and stat trackers, waiting to see what Crooks will do for an encore. One thing is certain: as long as Audi Crooks is on the court, search engines—and scoreboards—will keep lighting up.