The Iowa State women’s basketball program has seen five players depart by way of the transfer portal in the 11 days since its NCAA Tournament loss to Toledo.
The latest came moments before the start of the 2023 McDonald’s All-American Game future Cyclone Addy Brown was playing in. She’s one of five players in her highly-rated recruiting class that remain committed to Iowa State.
“We’re not too worried about it,” Brown said. “Everyone has a different path and a different view and those players chose to take that path – that’s OK, we wish them the best, but I think the class coming in has just bought in to what the coaches want to do. We’re not too worried about it.”
The incoming class has developed a chemistry already and is set to arrive in Ames this summer.
“Yeah, we’re 100 percent committed still,” Brown said. “We’ve talked about it among ourselves, too, and I think – like I said, everyone’s path is different – but we know where we want to be and that’s in Ames, Iowa, playing in Hilton under one of the best (coaching) staffs to ever do it.”
Brown said the group shares a group text that they use almost daily to stay in touch before they arrive. While Brown’s main accolade comes as her invitation to play in Tuesday’s national showcase game, the rest of the class brings some of its own.
Arianna Jackson took home MVP honors in last weekend’s IBCA all-star game, playing alongside Audi Crooks, who has gone viral on social media for her post play talents along with leading Algona Bishop Garrigan to back-to-back Class 1A state championships. Jalynn Bristow was rated as ESPN’s No. 47 recruit and Kelsey Joens, the sister to graduating star Ashley, racked up a top 100 ranking by Blue Star.
The class is well-heralded.
“It was surreal, I’d probably say that first,” Brown said of the All-American game. “Just being able to play in a really competitive game like that with the best of the best on the court – it was a great experience just being able to play against and with some of the best players. I just tried to take every minute I got and just do something with it and play hard.”
As a native of Derby, Kansas, Brown has heard plenty of Iowa State point guard Emily Ryan. The fellow Kansas native is in a big leadership spot as she steps into her senior year.
“I’m definitely excited to play with Emily,” Brown said. “She’s one of the best players to come out of Kansas and she’s been very successful at Iowa State. To be able to come in and have her as our senior leader – that’s something a lot of kids don’t get. We’re blessed to have the opportunity.”
Ryan has kept in touch with the class, too.
“She’s already reached out to us and told us she’s excited to get to work,” Brown said. “We’re going to work hard and come in and fill some spots.”
As Ryan said in a tweet posted Tuesday, it seems like this group is ‘ride or die with Iowa State,’ and the opportunities for each player will be aplenty.
