Audi Crooks is a force to be reckoned with. It seemed like no one at Kansas State could stop the 6-3 senior center when the Cyclones played the Wildcats just three days ago on March 2. That’s because, well, they really couldn’t, especially in the paint, where she outran defenses with strength and versatility. It was in the second inning that Crooks beat them, killing K-State’s two-way effort and sending a fly ball right past veteran shortstop Kennedy Taylor. The Cyclones, trailing by 2 points, went crazy with excitement after the play, from the bench to head coach Bill Fennelly, sophomore guard Kelsey Joens and forward Addy Brown, who gave Crooks a celebratory chest-thump. Through the ups and downs of this season, Crooks has been the driving force that pushed the Cyclones forward when they needed it most. Last time Iowa State played K-State, in late January, Crooks had a double-double of 28 points and 11 rebounds in a breathtaking OT game, with Iowa State winning 79-87. This time, she finished with 36 and 10 in a surprise 85-63 victory.

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Crooks has dominated the position since her high school days at Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA, where she led her team to consecutive state championships and etched her name in the state record books. She broke the tournament record by scoring 49 points in the state championship final, doing so while avoiding haters who tried to call her a temporary phenomenon, just as she did to her defenders. “Critics sometimes say all I do is score under the basket,” she told The Gazette in 2023. “I mean that in the most humble way: It works.” Crooks perfected the art of scoring at Iowa State. As soon as the Cyclones got the ball on the offensive end, Audi was always there, scheming under the basket and boxing or dancing with her defenders. Sometimes she will do a few dribbles and then push straight past her opponent or go straight under them for a smooth layup.

What’s even scarier for everyone is that this season, Crooks has been challenging himself to hit jumpers from mid-range. After earning All-Big 12 honors as a freshman, she focused on this goal during the off-season. “I took the time to appreciate what I did in my first year, but also to improve,” Crooks said. “[I] focused a lot on] strengthening my defense, becoming a better defender, a better blocker and then also getting out of the box a little bit with my mid-range play, trusting myself with the puck and trusting my ability to handle the ball.”