A first-round March Madness defeat was overshadowed by Iowa State’s uncomfortable postseason caveats. The Cyclones concluded a dismal season last month after a defeat to Syracuse. But now it seems to be the least of their problems, as 9 players from the current squad, including their franchise player, Audi Crooks, have entered the transfer portal, prompting a heartfelt reaction from head coach Bill Fennelly.

In a statement, Fennelly finally expressed his disappointment with his team’s current offseason position after nine of his players left, but also expressed his gratitude to all the departing players of the program. “It goes without saying that college sports have undergone tremendous change the past few years, and our program obviously has been impacted the by the current landscape this spring, ” Fennelly said.

“While I am sad and disappointed that some of our players have chosen to pursue other opportunities, I want to thank them for their time at Iowa State and wish them all the best as they move on. They will always be a part of the Cyclone Women’s Basketball family.”

Iowa State’s dismal situation in the offseason is yet again a stark reminder of what the college basketball landscape is heading into. Players no longer emphasize their long-term ceiling in the program; all they want is to secure their individual short-term aspirations. Elements like a quest for better NIL money and other off-court endeavors have taken firm hold in players’ decisions to land better programs and test their market value on the portal.

Several programs, including Oklahoma State and Indiana, have seen key departures to the transfer portal this season. But none of them can account for the impact these changing dynamics have had on Bill Fennelly’s Iowa State.

Initially, it was reported that 10 players from the current roster will enter the transfer portal ahead of the next season. It includes soon-to-be seniors Crooks, Brown, and Jada Williams, among others. Freya Jensen was also among these players who opted for a transfer. But has reportedly changed her mind and will now stay at Ames.

With Jensen’s commitment decision, the Cyclones now have three players at their helm, including juniors Evangelia Paulk and Arianna Jackson. But none of it can console the Cyclones community against Crooks’ departure from the program. For three years, Crooks has been synonymous with the Cyclones’ team. Across her tenure, Crooks has been the Cyclones’ franchise player, and her departure has left a major dent in the program’s preparations for the upcoming season.

“Thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day,” Crooks said while announcing her transfer decision. “I’ve met so many of you out in the community. And I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State.”

In Audi Crooks, Iowa State lost much more than just a prolific scorer. Crooks led the team in scoring in all three of her seasons at Iowa State, including the 2025-26 season, when she averaged 25.8 points per game.

That’s of course a profile that Fennelly will miss. But beyond that, too, Crooks’ leadership on the court and her role in helping the team connect with front-court players like Addy Brown will leave a lasting mark on the program for the upcoming few seasons. But amid this disastrous situation, Fennelly has received some support from one of his close aides in the basketball community.

Texas Coach Vic Schaefer Reacts to the Unceremonious Situation Around Iowa State After Audi Crooks’ Departure

For starters, Texas head coach Vic Schaefer hasn’t been a devoted fan of the transfer portal. It’s true that Schaefer has made good use of the portal in forming strong teams. But his resentment has always aligned with the negative impact it puts on the coaching entourage. And Schaefer aligned with the same viewpoint while speaking of Bill Fennelly’s situation after losing top players like Audi Crooks.

“I mean, you’re talking about somebody that’s literally given his life to this game. It is hard. I’m obviously friends with Bill. His whole family has given so much to this game, to so many young women,” Schaefer said. “I’m so disheartened and disappointed, especially for him, because I know what he’s given to this game his whole life.”

Schaefer has also been a part of several Texas revamps in the past few seasons. The Longhorns lost four players to the portal last year. As a result, he knows firsthand the toll it takes to rebuild teams due to the transfer portal. Reports of any such departures haven’t made the headlines yet for Longhorns this season, given that they are still competing in this final week of March Madness.

Meanwhile, most of the players who formed the Cyclones’ starting five this season will undergo a complete revamp next season. This adds a major concern about Iowa State and Bill Fennelly ahead of the portal window, which opens on April 6. The Cyclones front office, including Fennelly, has a massive rebuilding job in its hands.

From this portal, they’ll look to rebuild their team themselves. But they will also have to land top commitments to slot in players around the small core who have decided to stay in the program. The Cyclones will have to empty their deep pockets for such an enormous rebuilding job. But even then, it would be immensely difficult for Iowa State to source like-for-like replacements.

It’s because of only one reason that you won’t possibly find any other player of the stature of Audi Crooks. With the transfer portal opening in a few days, it will be interesting to see how Fennelly and Iowa State go about their business while Crooks looks to find a team for her senior year.