Iowa
How will Iowa State women’s basketball replace Kenzie Hare with tough slate on the horizon
Cyclones coach Bill Fennelly talks about his team’s performance against Iowa
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly talks about his team’s loss to Iowa
AMES – The Iowa State women’s basketball team entered the season with one starting spot up for grabs.
The Cyclones brought back starters Audi Crooks, Emily Ryan, Addy Brown and Arianna Jackson. The team thought it filled the fifth starting spot when Kenzie Hare emerged as a constant contributor.
But with Hare now out for the season with an injury, that starting spot is once again up for grabs. Finding her replacement is one of the top priorities for No. 17 Iowa State, which takes on Eastern Illinois on Sunday at 5 p.m., at Hilton Coliseum.
“We’ve got to figure that out,” said Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly. “And obviously we didn’t do a very good job of it the other night (against Iowa). So, we’ll continue to probably keep doing what we’ve been doing in the sense of giving everyone a lot of opportunities, mix and match and hopefully something good will come of it.”
Hare, a 5-foot-9 junior guard, transferred to Iowa State from Marquette and quickly produced for the Cyclones. The Illinois native averaged 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 10 games, including eight starts this season.
Hare had been dealing with a hip injury that occurred before she arrived in Ames. The Iowa State coaching staff tried treatment options but never could get her to 100%. So, the Cyclones decided to shut her down and medically redshirt her this season.
Hare’s absence created a giant void on the floor. The newcomer, an established star 3-point shooter, gave Iowa State experience, defense on the perimeter and grit throughout games, diving for loose balls and making small but important plays.
“It’s a huge loss for our team,” Fennelly said.
Replacing her will be difficult. But Iowa State does have options. Freshman Aili Tanke has started at times this season. So has sophomore Kelsey Joens, who filled in during the Iowa game. Then there’s juniors Sydney Harris and Lily Hansford. The problem, Fennelly said, is that no one has stepped up and taken the job.
Tanke provided some valuable minutes in the Iowa game. Joens has shined at times off the bench. Harris has as well. Hansford, another strong shooter who transferred from Oregon State, has struggled to find her rhythm but is still in the mix after knocking down a big 3 against the Hawkeyes.
But no one has continually given Fennelly what he’s looking for: some points, some defense on the perimeter and some hard work. The bar isn’t high with Crooks, Brown and Ryan expected to handle the bulk of the scoring. Still, Tanke, Joens, Harris or Hansford has yet to win the job.
“They’re all in the mix and we just, up to this point, the only consistency has been inconsistency,” Fennelly said.
The coach said Friday and Saturday’s practices would decide who starts Sunday’s game. But that person may not be the permanent answer.
“I’m going to actually meet with all of them and just say, ‘Hey, here’s where we are and it’s going to be, whoever practices best the next two days will go out there first and whoever plays the best in the game on Sunday, stays in the game,’” Fennelly said.
There are other routes for the Cyclones to go as well. Fennelly said he’s thought about playing two post players at once, putting Crooks and Alisa Williams on the floor at the same time. He’s even thought about moving the versatile Brown to the three spot or into the post. Everything is on the table right now.
“I’m not afraid to try other things,” Fennelly said.
Time is ticking for Iowa State to figure it out. Things get very difficult for the Cyclones after Sunday’s game. Iowa State plays No. 2 UConn in the Invesco QQQ Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase next week. After that, the Cyclones embark on Big 12 Conference play. Iowa State was picked to finish second in the league this season.
If the Cyclones are going to have any success this season, replacing Hare is something they have to find an answer for. Fast.
“This is the situation we are in and it’s pretty evident, especially in the two road games that we lost,” Fennelly said. “So, we’ve got to figure that out.”
Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“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.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for April 13-18. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.
Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 26. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:
Taylor Roose, Pella boys track and field
Roose competed in three events at the Norwalk Invitational, winning all three in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.
Daxon Kiesau, Urbandale boys track and field
Kiesau swept the throwing events at the Norwalk Invitational, taking first place in the shot put and the discus.
Alex Burger, Southeast Valley boys track and field
Competing at home, Burger dominated, earning four gold medals. He won the 400-meter hurdles and the long jump while running on the winning 4×200-meter relay and shuttle hurdle relay.
Kolby Hodnefield, Clear Lake boys track and field
Hodenfield, a defending state champion, broke the meet, venue and school record in the 200 and the 400 at the Clear Lake Invitational. He added victories as part of the 4×100 and 4×400 relays. Both relays also set meet records.
Easton Moon, North Polk boys tennis
Moon has started off his senior season on the courts unbeaten, winning all four matches while dropping just one game in 44 played.
Ava Lohrbach, Gilbert girls golf
One of the top golfers in the state, Lohrbach has had a hot start, firing a 35 in her nine-hole debut and a 72 for her 18-hole opener.
Nathan Manske, Algona boys golf
An elite quarterback and basketball player, Manske is showing his golfing skills this spring, coming out with a state-low 30 in a nine-hole event.
Ella Hein, Tipton girls track and field
Hein set school records in the 400-meter run and long jump at the Tiger/Tigerette Relays while also locking in the Blue Standard and qualifying for the Drake Relays. She won the long jump (18-6) and was second in the 400.
Maeve Bowen-Burt, Iowa City High girls track and field
The sophomore helped the Little Hawks land three Drake Relays events on the last night of qualifying, advancing in the 400 hurdles, along with the sprint medley and 4×400 relays.
About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.
Follow
-
Texas22 seconds agoGlamorous triathlete shared haunting post before drowning during Texas Ironman competition
-
Utah6 minutes agoJazz 2026 Salary Cap Tracker: Cap Space, Contracts, Free Agents
-
Vermont12 minutes ago74-year-old woman fulfills childhood dream as EMT at fair in Vermont
-
Virginia18 minutes agoVirginia Sen. Mark Warner’s daughter has died: ‘Heartbroken beyond words’
-
Washington24 minutes agoA look at the roots (and routes) of immigration to Washington
-
Wisconsin30 minutes agoRubber bullet carnage as 1,000 animal welfare activists storm beagle breeding lab in Wisconsin | Fortune
-
West Virginia36 minutes agoWest Virginia’s Underrated State Park Is A Serene Getaway With Picturesque Trails And A Unique Hemlock Forest – Islands
-
Wyoming42 minutes agoFormer House Speaker Albert Sommers seeks to win back Wyoming legislative seat