Ames, IA- It would be an understatement to say that Iowa State athletics has had a great week. The volleyball team earned a bid into the national tournament, the football team won their regular season finale for another eight-win regular season, both basketball teams are undefeated, and the men’s wrestling team squashed a 21 year losing streak on the mats against #3 Iowa in a 20-14 final.
With all of that success, follows the accolades with three members of Cyclone athletics garnering weekly accolades.
Football
It was an ugly game last Saturday when the Cyclones vanquished the Oklahoma State Cowboys and a big reason for that was the play of the defense. Namely, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, Caleb Bacon. The Lake Mills, Iowa, native was all over the field, snatching seven tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble.
Bacon is the first Iowa State player since JoQuan Bailey in 2020 to register three sacks in a game. It was a perfect exclamation mark for the redshirt senior after missing most of last season due to injury. The Cyclones await their bowl destination, which will be announced on Sunday, December 7th.
Women’s Basketball
No one has been able stop Audi Crooks. The junior owns the longest active streak for games with double-digit points, sitting at 76 straight games. Additionally, she bested her own school record for points and field goals when she poured in 47 points on 19 field goals in a 106-95 victory over Indiana to secure the Coconut Hoops Blue Heron Division Championship and tournament MVP honors.
Due to the offensive onslaught, Crooks earned Big 12 Player of the Week for the second time this season. Her 27.3 points per game will look to lead the 10th ranked Cyclones past Northern Illinois on Sunday, December 7th, at 1 pm at home.
Men’s Basketball
Iowa State keeps climbing the ranks as the Cyclones finished 3-0 at the Players Era Championship, including a narrow 83-82 win over #14 St. John’s. Senior forward Joshua Jefferson has been leading that charge as he averaged 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in their three victories. His stat line of 13 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists in a thrashing of Syracuse was only the second time a major conference player since 1996-97 posted a similar stat line.
Jefferson collected his first Big 12 Player of the Week honor but his fifth total conference award after being named Newcomer of the Week four times last season. The 10th-ranked Cyclones will host Alcorn State tomorrow, December 3rd, at 7 pm.