AMES – The 15th-ranked Iowa State women’s basketball team opens the 2020-21 season against Omaha in Hilton Coliseum on Nov. 25 at noon. The Cyclones have not squared off against the Mavericks in the Bill Fennelly era, and are 1-3 all-time.
Key Storylines
- Head coach Bill Fennelly has entered quarantine protocol after being exposed to COVID-19. Associate head coach Jodi Steyer has assumed head coaching duties in his absence.
- Junior Ashley Joens continues to make waves nationally. Entering the 2020-21 season she was named a Lindy’s Preseason All-American (Second Team), the Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watch List and was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
- Iowa State entered the 2020-21 season with one of its highest preseason rankings in Iowa State history, at No. 15 in the AP Poll.
- The Cyclones four freshmen for the 2020-21 season with Lexi Donarski, Aubrey Joens, Kylie Feuerbach and Emily Ryan. The four newcomers rounded out the No. 7 recruiting class in the country.
- Senior Kristin Scott earned preseason recognition of her own as she was named to the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List for the second-straight season. Scott was also an honorable mention selection for the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
All Eyes on the Cyclones
- The Iowa State women’s basketball team was selected to finish third by the league’s coaches in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
- The Cyclones have earned their fair share of preseason recognition nationally, earning a No. 15 ranking by the AP to start the season, the highest preseason selection since 2001-02.
- A handful of other publications and news organizations tabbed Iowa State in the top-20 as well, with the Cyclones checking in at No. 14 in the Lindy’s Sports Preview and ESPN putting ISU at No. 18 entering the season.
3-point streak poised to hit 800
- The Iowa State women’s basketball team has the nation’s longest streak for consecutive games with a 3-pointer, sitting at 799.
- The streak began on Feb. 19, 1995 at Colorado when Tara Gunderson netted a triple.
- Iowa State has made 6,306 triples over the course of the streak and made 10 or more in a game 231 times.
1,000-Point Club
- In Iowa State’s game against Baylor, Ashley Joens reached 1,000 points in her career, scoring her 1,000th on the final bucket for the Cyclones. She is the first sophomore to reach 1,000 in school history. Joens accomplished the feat in 64 career games, just three shy of the record of 61, held by Stacy Frese.
- Joens sits at 30th in school history with 1,002 points and is 62 points away from moving into 29th.
- Scott is on the heels of joining the 1,000-point club, as she has 962 points in her career. She needs just 38 to reach the milestone.
