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There's something about Audi: Iowa State's Audi Crooks establishing herself as one of the Big 12's best

There's something about Audi: Iowa State's Audi Crooks establishing herself as one of the Big 12's best
EIGHT NEWS AT TEN ALGONA AUDI CROOKS IS OFF TO A STRONG START AT IOWA STATE. THE CYCLONE FRESHMAN CENTER IS QUICKLY BECOMING ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE BIG 12 CONFERENCE. HER DESIRE TO BE GREAT IS MATCHED ONLY BY THE HARD WORK SHE PUTS IN TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS. BUT SHE’S NOT ALONE IN HER QUEST. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE ALWAYS WATCHING OUT FOR HER. IT’S THE CYCLONES FINAL GAME OF JANUARY, AND ISU’S NUMBER 55 IS ONCE AGAIN PUTTING ON A SHOW THOUSANDS WATCH AS SHE CONTINUES BUILDING HER OWN LEGACY WHILE ADDING TO ONE TWO. MY DAD WAS NUMBER 55. MY MOM WAS NUMBER 55. AND AS I STARTED TO EMERGE IN JUNIOR HIGH IN HIGH SCHOOL, THEY ASKED, WHAT NUMBER DO YOU WANT? IT WAS AN EASY ANSWER FOR ME. 55 MOM IS NOW MICHELLE COOK, ALWAYS IN THE CROWD. I LOVE GOING TO ALL THE GAMES. ONE OF AUDI’S BIGGEST FANS. BUT AS MICHELLE VITZTHUM, I COULD HOLD MY OWN. SHE’S THE NUMBER 55 PICTURED HERE, PART OF BISHOP GARRIGAN’S 2001 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. JUST LIKE AUDI, I WAS SURROUNDED BY OTHER GOOD PLAYERS AND I WAS ONE OF THE TALLER ONES AS WELL. I HAD GOOD COACHES, MODEST, BUT ALSO SINGLED OUT ON THE SCHOOL’S RECORD BOARD FOR CAREER FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE UNTIL IT’S UPDATED BECAUSE THE CURRENT DOUBLE NICKELS KNOCKED HER OFF, SHE OBVIOUSLY CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE OF OUR OF OUR RECORD BOARD HERE AT GARRIGAN. BRANDON SCHWAB COACHED IOWA’S REIGNING MISS BASKETBALL TO TWO HIGH SCHOOL STATE TITLES. COACH SCHWAB HELPED ME, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL. AND HE WAS THERE. HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT I KNEW I COULD TALK TO AND RELY ON. HE’S BECOME A FIXTURE IN THE STANDS AT CYCLONE GAMES, CHEERING ON ADDIE AS A FIRST TIME SEASON TICKET HOLDER, I CONSIDER HER A FRIEND OF MINE WHO LOVES WATCHING. NUMBER 55 CONTINUE TO DOMINATE. I WANT TO SEE HER DO AS WELL IN COLLEGE AS SHE DID IN HIGH SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, SHE’S TURNING INTO A FACE OF IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FOR THE STATE. WALK AROUND HER OLD HIGH SCHOOL IN ADDIE’S FACE IS TOUGH TO MISS, AND IN THE LOCKER ROOM, HER FORMER TEAMMATES FONDLY REMEMBER THE PAST. THIS WAS ALWAYS AUDI’S LOCKER BECAUSE SHE HAD THE OUTLET SHE ALWAYS PLUGGED THE SPEAKER IN, AND WE WERE ALWAYS BUMPING TO GOOD MUSIC BEFORE GAMES. THEY STILL SUPPORT 55. THE PLAYER, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY AUDI. THEY’RE FRIEND. I CALLED HER FOR ABOUT A HALF HOUR THE OTHER NIGHT. JUST TALK THROUGH STUFF. YOU KNOW. SHE’S A GREAT PERSON. SHE’S SHE’S MORE THAN A BASKETBALL PLAYER. SHE’S A GREAT FRIEND. AND THAT NUMBER THAT BOTH MOM AND AUDI STARTED AT GARRIGAN, A HOT COMMODITY IN TOWN. IT’S IT’S HER AUTHENTIC SIGNATURE. IT’S HER VISION. IT’S HER COLORS THAT SHE LOVES. IT’S ALL FOR SALE IN A STORE CALLED THREADS. WE HAVE NOW SHIPPED ANYWHERE FROM TEXAS TO CALIFORNIA ALL OVER. UM, THE MORE SHE PLAYS, THE MORE PEOPLE JUST FALL IN LOVE WITH HER OWNER, TRICIA GEARY WORKED WITH THE MOTHER DAUGHTER DUO ON EVERY DESIGN. IT WAS JUST COOL TO BE ABLE TO PUT THAT VISION AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I LIVE BY AND THEN TO LIKE, BE PLAYING IN HILTON AND I, YOU KNOW, I’M RUNNING BACK ON DEFENSE AND OH, SOMEBODY WEARING MY SHIRT, SOMEBODY GOT THAT ON YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY OUT THERE KNOWS WHO I AM. SOMEBODY SUPPORTING ME. I THINK THAT’S PRETTY COOL. THESE FANS OF 55 ARE ALWAYS EASY TO SPOT. THEY’RE AUDI’S AUNTS, BARBARA CROOKS AND CHRIS CROOKS. ROCHA. WE’RE A CLOSE KNIT FAMILY. AND WHEN YOU SEE ONE, YOU SEE MULTIPLE OF US. THEY’RE HERE FOR THEIR NIECE. IT’S AWESOME. IT’S SO SURREAL. JUST SEEING HER JUST BATTLING AND DOING HER THING ON THE COURT AS SHE ALWAYS HAVE DONE. AND FOR THE 55 WHO CAN’T BE, HE KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO BE HERE. HE HAS THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE. HE DOES AUDI’S DAD, JIMMY CROOKS, WHO STARRED AT FORT DODGE IN THE MID 80S, DIED IN 2021 WHEN SHE WAS 16. HOW MUCH DOES IT MEAN TO YOU THAT YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, CARRY ON THE CROOKS LEGACY ON THE BASKETBALL COURT? AND NOT JUST THAT, BUT HOW PROUD DO YOU THINK HE WOULD BE OF YOU AND WHERE YOU’VE MADE IT TODAY? YEAH. UM, SORRY. UM, NO, IT MEANS A LOT THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, TO CARRY THAT ON. AND I KNOW, I HOPE, I KNOW HE’S PROUD OF ME AND I KNOW, YOU KNOW, HE’S WATCHING, UH, FROM FROM UP ABOVE. AND IT JUST MEANS THE WORLD. UM, I’M HONORED TO TO HAVE THE SAME LAST NAME AS THAT MAN. I MEAN, HE, UH, HE GAVE ME THE FOUNDATION CARSON, UM, NOT ONLY AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT BECOMING THE WOMAN THAT I AM TODAY. I WOULDN’T BE THAT PERSON IF IT WASN’T FOR HIM. THAT PERSON IS THE ONE WE’RE ALL WATCHING NOW, ADDING TO A LEGACY. THERE’S ALREADY SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF. AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO SAY I JUST ENJOYED, YOU KNOW, GETTING TO KNOW EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS AUDI AND OF COURSE, AUDI HERSELF AND ALSO WANT TO THANK PHOTOJOURNAL
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There's something about Audi: Iowa State's Audi Crooks establishing herself as one of the Big 12's best
It hasn't taken long for Iowa high school legend Audi Crooks to establish herself as a force in college basketball. Crooks, an Iowa State freshman who went to Bishop Garrigan in Algona, scored eight points in her first game with the Cyclones — a win against Butler — and has double-digit point totals in every game since. She averages 18 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and shoots nearly 57% from the field, all of which rank among the top 10 in the Big 12 Conference. After coming off the bench her first four games, she's started the last 20 for the 14-10 Cyclones, who are 8-6 in conference play. She admits her early success has come as a bit of a surprise. "I thought maybe this would be a learning year. You know, maybe I only play a few minutes and just really like develop my skills, kind of focus on that. But, there was a certain point where I thought, 'Hey, maybe I can really get after it, really do this,'" Crooks tells vlog.FOLLOW vlog'S SOCIAL MEDIA: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBECrooks' success rooted in hard work, driveway matchups with momCyclones head coach Bill Fennelly is impressed with how quickly his star freshman has adapted to the more physical college game."They are very physical with her ... there is probably one or two times a game she'll look at the bench ... like 'I got hit.' But, I would say for a young kid to be able to do that is pretty impressive," Fennelly said.While there are several factors that have led to Crooks' success, a familiar theme seems to be how hard she's always worked to achieve it. She took some lumps playing against her mom on the hoop in the driveway of their Algona home — and delivered a few."She's a competitor, that's where I get my competitive edge from. So, she's throwing elbows at me. I mean, she's not taking it easy," Crooks says about her mom, Michelle Cook, Garrigan's all-time leading scorer before the next generation broke the record.And she grew from a raw project to one of Iowa's all-time greats in high school while playing for Golden Bears head coach Brandon Schwab."I remember her first seventh-grade game. I think she shot it over the backboard when I was watching her," Schwab said. "So the amount of time she put in to become the player she is today is just a tribute to her hard work and dedication to the sport."» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from vlogCrooks plays to honor family's jersey number, basketball legacyCrooks has always been willing to put in the work. But she says she's also playing for more than herself. The 55 she wears on her jersey is more than a number. It's a family tradition. "My dad was number 55 and my mom was number 55. ... Growing up, as I started to emerge in middle school and high school, they ask, 'What number do you want?' It was an easy answer for me. Fifty-five," Crooks said.You can often find Michelle Cook in the stands cheering on the latest No. 55."I love going to all the games," she said.But Crooks' dad, Jimmie Crooks, died in 2021. It's his memory that the ISU freshman says she carries with her whenever she steps on the hardwood. "I hope — I know he's proud of me. And I know, you know, he's watching from up above," she said. "And it just means the world. I'm honored to have the same last name as that man. I mean, he gave me the foundation not only as a basketball player, but becoming the woman that I am today. I wouldn't be that person if it wasn't for him."

It hasn't taken long for Iowa high school legend Audi Crooks to establish herself as a force in college basketball.

Crooks, an Iowa State freshman who went to Bishop Garrigan in Algona, scored eight points in her first game with the Cyclones — a win against Butler — and has double-digit point totals in every game since.

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She averages 18 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and shoots nearly 57% from the field, all of which rank among the top 10 in the Big 12 Conference.

After coming off the bench her first four games, she's started the last 20 for the 14-10 Cyclones, who are 8-6 in conference play. She admits her early success has come as a bit of a surprise.

"I thought maybe this would be a learning year. You know, maybe I only play a few minutes and just really like develop my skills, kind of focus on that. But, there was a certain point where I thought, 'Hey, maybe I can really get after it, really do this,'" Crooks tells vlog.

FOLLOW vlog'S SOCIAL MEDIA: | |

Crooks' success rooted in hard work, driveway matchups with mom

Cyclones head coach Bill Fennelly is impressed with how quickly his star freshman has adapted to the more physical college game.

"They are very physical with her ... there is probably one or two times a game she'll look at the bench ... like 'I got hit.' But, I would say for a young kid to be able to do that is pretty impressive," Fennelly said.

While there are several factors that have led to Crooks' success, a familiar theme seems to be how hard she's always worked to achieve it.

She took some lumps playing against her mom on the hoop in the driveway of their Algona home — and delivered a few.

"She's a competitor, that's where I get my competitive edge from. So, she's throwing elbows at me. I mean, she's not taking it easy," Crooks says about her mom, Michelle Cook, Garrigan's all-time leading scorer before the next generation broke the record.

And she grew from a raw project to one of Iowa's all-time greats in high school while playing for Golden Bears head coach Brandon Schwab.

"I remember her first seventh-grade game. I think she shot it over the backboard when I was watching her," Schwab said. "So the amount of time she put in to become the player she is today is just a tribute to her hard work and dedication to the sport."

» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |

Get the latest headlines from vlog

Crooks plays to honor family's jersey number, basketball legacy

Crooks has always been willing to put in the work. But she says she's also playing for more than herself. The 55 she wears on her jersey is more than a number. It's a family tradition.

"My dad was number 55 and my mom was number 55. ... Growing up, as I started to emerge in middle school and high school, they ask, 'What number do you want?' It was an easy answer for me. Fifty-five," Crooks said.

You can often find Michelle Cook in the stands cheering on the latest No. 55.

"I love going to all the games," she said.

But Crooks' dad, Jimmie Crooks, died in 2021. It's his memory that the ISU freshman says she carries with her whenever she steps on the hardwood.

"I hope — I know he's proud of me. And I know, you know, he's watching from up above," she said. "And it just means the world. I'm honored to have the same last name as that man. I mean, he gave me the foundation not only as a basketball player, but becoming the woman that I am today. I wouldn't be that person if it wasn't for him."