AMES, Iowa – Iowa State women’s basketball players Audi Crooks and Emily Ryan have been added to the 2024-25 John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List. This marks the first time either has appeared on the award’s Top 50 watch list.

Crooks enters the 2024-25 season following one of the most impressive freshman campaigns in Iowa State women’s basketball history. The 6-3 center broke the ISU single-season record for made field goals with 258 makes. She also broke Cyclone freshman records for points (635) and made free throws (114). The Algona, Iowa native opened the season on Monday, scoring 16 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor and going 6-of-8 from the free throw line. She also pulled down four rebounds and handed out two assists.

Ryan is one of the most prolific point guards in women’s college basketball. She is the NCAA active career leader for assists with her 788 dimes and holds the Iowa State all-time record with the total. The Claflin, Kansas native also holds Iowa State single-season (259) and single-game (17) assists records. The 5-11 guard posted a career-high against fourth-ranked and No. 2-seed Stanford in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, scoring 36 points with six 3-pointers. On Monday in Iowa State’s season opener, Ryan was efficient in 19 minutes played, dishing out a game-high six assists while scoring nine points to help the Cyclones to a 96-56 win.

Iowa State is back in action on Thursday night in Hilton Coliseum as it meets Indiana State for the first time in program history. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here.