Audi Crooks Enters Transfer Portal: Top Landing Spots

One of women's college basketball's brightest stars just shook up the transfer portal landscape. On April 2, 2026, Audi Crooks — Iowa State's dominant junior center — officially entered the transfer portal, sending shockwaves through the sport. The news, first reported by Yahoo Sports, instantly made Crooks the biggest name available in the women's college basketball portal this cycle. With averages of 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on blistering 64.9% shooting, she isn't just a transfer portal name — she's a program-changer waiting to happen.

Who Is Audi Crooks? A Statistical Breakdown

If you haven't been watching Iowa State women's basketball, Audi Crooks has been quietly — and then loudly — putting up some of the most dominant numbers in the country. The junior center finished the 2025-26 season ranked second in the nation in scoring at 25.8 points per game, a remarkable achievement that earned her both All-Big 12 First Team and AP All-American Second Team honors.

Her efficiency is what truly separates her. A 64.9% field-goal percentage isn't just good — it led the entire Big 12 Conference. Crooks isn't a volume scorer padding her numbers with bad shots. She's a precision interior force who finishes almost everything she attempts around the basket.

What makes her trajectory even more impressive is the year-over-year growth she's demonstrated:

• Freshman season: 19.2 points per game
• Sophomore season: 23.4 points per game
• Junior season: 25.8 points per game

That kind of consistent improvement — adding more than two points per game each season — signals a player who is still ascending. She also pulled down 7.7 rebounds per game this season, making her one of the most complete big-woman prospects in the country.

Iowa State's Collapse and the NCAA Tournament Exit

The backdrop to Crooks' transfer decision is a deeply disappointing end to what started as a promising season for Iowa State. The Cyclones began the year on a sensational run, going 14-0 to open the season, including a victory over rival Iowa. At their peak, Iowa State climbed as high as No. 10 in the national rankings.

Then came the collapse. Iowa State went just 8-10 over the remainder of the regular season, stumbling into the NCAA Tournament as a No. 8 seed. The Cyclones then suffered a first-round exit at the hands of No. 9 seed Syracuse — a brutal, program-defining loss that marked the fourth consecutive year Iowa State failed to advance past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The final record: 22-10.

For a player of Crooks' caliber, the message was clear. Despite her individual brilliance, the program around her wasn't delivering the tournament success needed to maximize her visibility and development heading into the professional ranks.

The Iowa State Exodus: A Program in Freefall

Crooks' departure isn't an isolated event — it's the culmination of a mass exodus from Ames, Iowa. She is the 10th Iowa State player to enter the transfer portal this spring, according to MSN Sports. Alongside Crooks, teammates Jada Williams, Addy Brown, and Kenzie Hare also entered the portal, effectively dismantling much of the roster that made Iowa State a top-10 team earlier in the season.

When a program loses its best player and nine others in a single spring, it raises serious questions about coaching staff, culture, and player development infrastructure. For Iowa State women's basketball, the 2026 offseason represents an inflection point — either a full rebuild lies ahead, or aggressive portal recruiting will be needed just to remain competitive in the Big 12.

For Crooks specifically, the decision makes strategic sense. She has one season of college eligibility remaining, and she needs to make it count.

Top Transfer Portal Landing Spots for Audi Crooks

The question every women's college basketball fan is asking: where does Audi Crooks go next? Several programs have already emerged as frontrunners, and the fit analysis is compelling across the board. CBS Sports and Bleacher Report have both broken down the top contenders.

TCU

The Horned Frogs have been aggressive in building through the portal and would welcome a dominant interior presence. TCU has the infrastructure and Big 12 familiarity that could help Crooks transition quickly without needing to learn an entirely new conference environment.

LSU

Few programs have more national visibility than LSU women's basketball. A move to Baton Rouge would place Crooks under a massive spotlight — exactly what she needs heading into the 2027 WNBA Draft. LSU has proven it can develop and market elite players at the highest level.

UCLA

Perhaps the most intriguing fit, UCLA is reportedly a likely portal target given that the Bruins lost six players to the 2026 WNBA Draft. That level of roster turnover creates significant minutes and an opportunity for immediate impact. The Pac-12 (or its successor conference) platform and recruiting network in Los Angeles could be particularly attractive for a player with professional ambitions, as noted by MSN's landing spot analysis.

Wherever Crooks lands, that program is getting an immediate frontrunner for national player of the year consideration in 2026-27.

WNBA Draft Implications: One Year to Make Her Case

Crooks is technically eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft, but all indications are that she will return for her senior collegiate season. That decision is almost certainly the right one. While her current numbers are elite, another dominant year — particularly one that features a deep tournament run — could elevate her into first-round pick territory in the 2027 WNBA Draft.

The modern women's college basketball landscape rewards players who maximize their portal decision with a high-profile senior year. Think of it as a one-year audition in front of every WNBA front office in the country. Crooks already has the statistics. What she needs now is a stage — preferably one that comes with an Elite Eight or Final Four run — and a program built around maximizing her specific skill set.

At 25.8 points per game on 64.9% shooting, she's already demonstrated she can be the most dominant player on the floor against Big 12 competition. The question for WNBA scouts is whether that translates against the very best talent in the country during March. Her next destination will be chosen, in large part, to answer that question definitively.

What This Means for Women's College Basketball

Crooks' move is the latest high-profile example of the transfer portal reshaping the college basketball landscape at every level. For women's basketball specifically, it represents the growing empowerment of elite players to choose their own path — and to optimize their college careers with professional prospects in mind.

The portal also serves as a referendum on programs. Iowa State's inability to retain Crooks, despite her obvious individual success there, reflects the pressure coaches face to build winning cultures around star players. Ten departures in a single spring is not a coaching staff issue — it's a systemic one, and the program will need significant rethinking heading into the 2026-27 season.

For fans of women's basketball, this saga is must-follow content. Crooks is the kind of generational talent that elevates whatever program she joins, and her eventual commitment announcement will be one of the biggest news stories of the spring portal window.

Frequently Asked Questions About Audi Crooks

Why did Audi Crooks enter the transfer portal?

Crooks entered the portal following Iowa State's first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Syracuse and a broader program exodus in which she became the 10th Cyclone to leave this spring. The decision appears driven by a desire to compete at a higher level and maximize her profile heading into the 2027 WNBA Draft.

Where will Audi Crooks transfer?

As of April 2, 2026, no official commitment has been made. Top reported landing spots include TCU, LSU, and UCLA. UCLA is considered particularly attractive given the Bruins lost six players to the 2026 WNBA Draft, creating major roster openings.

What were Audi Crooks' stats this season?

Crooks averaged 25.8 points per game (second in the nation), 7.7 rebounds per game, and shot 64.9% from the field — leading the Big 12 in both scoring average and field-goal percentage. She earned All-Big 12 First Team and AP All-American Second Team honors.

Is Audi Crooks eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft?

Yes, she is technically eligible for the 2026 WNBA Draft, but she is widely expected to return for her senior season. Analysts believe a strong senior year could position her as a first-round pick in the 2027 WNBA Draft.

How many Iowa State players entered the transfer portal this spring?

Crooks is the 10th Iowa State women's basketball player to enter the transfer portal this spring, joining teammates Jada Williams, Addy Brown, and Kenzie Hare, among others.

Conclusion

Audi Crooks entering the transfer portal is the defining women's college basketball story of the spring 2026 cycle. A player who averaged 25.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game — while shooting nearly 65% from the floor — doesn't become available often. Every elite program in the country will be calling. Her decision will reshape a roster, alter WNBA Draft boards, and likely define the 2026-27 women's college basketball season before it even tips off.

Watch this space closely. The Audi Crooks sweepstakes is officially underway.