Five days ago, in an interview with Natalie Esquire, Audi Crooks revealed a simple checklist for her next destination. Good culture, “somewhere with some shooters,” and finally a team and coach that are going to push her to the limit. Crooks left Iowa State as she felt to have done her best to elevate that program and yet they did not go beyond the second round in the NCAA tournament. And now, the high-scoring center has finally revealed her next chapter.

Crooks announced her commitment to Oklahoma State via a video with her dancing in the OSU jersey on the song “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston. The video also includes Cowgirls’ boss Jacie Hoyt’s cameo.

There was no bigger name in the transfer portal than Audi Crooks. Over three seasons at Iowa State, she made 99 appearances and 95 starts, establishing herself as one of the most dominant forces in the country. She finished last season second in Division I in both scoring at 25.8 points per game and field-goal percentage at 64.9.

Who can forget her performance against Indiana this season in the 106–95 win, where she broke her own program record with 47 points, shooting 19-for-25 from the field, with all her attempts coming inside the arc. Or the game against in-state rivals Iowa, where she delivered a 30-point, 10-rebound performance to lead the Cyclones to a 74–69 victory.

Over the course of her college career, Audi Crooks averaged 22.8 points and 7.7 rebounds while shooting an efficient 61.1% from the field. She also racked up three straight All-Big 12 First-Team selections and two All-American honors, which is why her decision to leave on April 2 caught so many by surprise.

“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. 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,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home. I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”

Questions will inevitably be asked about whether Oklahoma State was the right decision for Audi Crooks. The program has never made it past the Sweet 16, and despite a solid 24–10 run in the 2025–26 season, their journey ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after a loss to eventual champion UCLA.

But what Audi Crooks gets is a stable program that has been steadily progressing under head coach Jacie Hoyt.

OSU has put together back-to-back 20+ win seasons and shown growth in the postseason, reaching the second round this year after a first-round exit the year before. They also check a key box: three point shooting. OSU ranked 29th in the country from three-point range last season at 35.11% and finished seventh in total threes made. Oklahoma State offers Crooks the spacing she’s been looking for.

She also knows a thing or two about Oklahoma State, having been on the losing end against them both times this season. Moving to a Big 12 rival of Iowa State might not sit well with some, but for Audi Crooks, it offers a sense of continuity that could only help her moving forward.

Crooks’ announcement has immediately sent shockwaves across WBB fans as the prospect of her teaming up with Liv McGill has them excited. 

Audi Crooks and Liv McGill Team Up and Fans See Something Special

“This has to be the most groundbreaking commitment in Women’s Hoops History right? Her and @livmcgill23? Incredible stuff,” wrote a fan. “Liv McGill and Audi Crooks 👀👀,” pitched in another. 

It came as a shock to many when Liv McGill announced her decision to leave the Florida Gators on Instagram. “It’s over now, you hear it loud from me,” she wrote, thanking former coach Kelly Rae Finley and the Gator Nation. And she leaves behind moments that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

Back in November, she delivered one of the most memorable performances in program history, dropping 38 points and 10 assists against Chattanooga, becoming the first player in Florida basketball history, men’s or women’s, to reach those numbers in a single game.

But it didn’t come as a surprise to those aware of what was unfolding behind the scenes. Liv McGill’s departure came just weeks after Florida parted ways with Kelly Rae Finley and brought in Tammi Reiss, who had just led Rhode Island to a 28–5 record and an NCAA Tournament appearance.

With the addition of Liv McGill, the Oklahoma State Cowgirls have bolstered their guard play in this transfer class. The former Florida guard averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season. She was arguably one of the most exciting and stylish players to watch in the country and now she gets inside support in the form of Crooks. The 5’9 guard is an elite passer and scorer.

While her three-point shooting is a work in progress (shot 26.4% last year), it is something she can improve on as Crooks gets some defenders off her. The two teaming up could form an exciting duo that could lead to more fans. 

“First they pick up Liv McGill, now they got my fave….. consider me tuned in,” wrote a fan. In the days where NIL drives the team, every team needs fans and attention. McGill and Crooks are two of the most popular prospects next season and will help them fill some seats at the Gallagher-Iba Arena. They averaged just more than 3000 per game in a stadium that has a capacity of more than 13,500. Beyond just the two pairing up, Crooks’ addition might have also made Oklahoma State a contender in the Big 12.

“Latest addition in ‘The Super Team,'” wrote one. “Crooks and Liv… might be a dark horse team ain’t gone lie definitely see them finishing top 2 in the Big 12 with TCU at 1.” They finished 12-6 in the conference and 24-10 overall while falling to UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as mentioned above. But the program has made some major moves in the portal to elevate this team like McGill and Crooks.

Beyond those two, coach Hoyt has also added the Division II National Player of the Year, Talexa Weeter, from Fort Hays State, where she averaged 27.5 points per game last year. She lost 9 players in the transfer portal and is rebuilding from scratch. So, they might take some time to click and buy into her style. 

They were top 40 in 3-point percentage while shooting 40% of their shots from beyond the arc. However, the team struggled on defense, conceding 64.2 points per game, which ranked 174th in the country. With Crooks’ defense still a work in progress, Hoyt will need to find solutions if they have to be contenders in the Big 12.