AMES, Iowa – For Iowa State women’s basketball, making history is happening even beyond the court. Head coach Bill Fennelly and his staff announced on Wednesday the highest-rated signing class in program history, with five student-athletes on board to join the Cyclones in 2022-23.

The new additions are forward Jalynn Bristow from Wichita Falls, Texas, forward Addy Brown from Derby, Kansas, center Audi Crooks from Algona, guard Arianna Jackson from Des Moines and guard Kelsey Joens from Iowa City. This quintet ranks at No. 10 in the 2023 ESPNw/HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings at the time of publication.

Jalynn Bristow – Forward, 6-2, Wichita Falls, Texas (Holliday)

Bristow checks in at No. 47 in the ESPNw/Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 recruit rankings. In three seasons at Rider High School, Bristow put up 2,060 points at 22.4 per game and grabbed 1,139 rebounds at 12.4 per game, earning All-State, All-Region and District MVP all three seasons. Bristow will play her senior season at Holliday High School. Teaming up with fellow future Cyclone Addy Brown, Bristow helped lead the 17U Team Lex Nation team to a National Title at the Adidas 3SSB Tournament this past summer.

Addy Brown – Forward, 6-2, Derby, Kan. (Derby)

Brown checks in as Iowa State’s highest-rated signee on the ESPNw/Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 rankings at No. 31. A two-time First Team All-State honoree and conference MVP and three-time all-conference honoree, Brown helped lead Derby to a Kansas Class 6A runner-up, averaging 14.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting over 60 percent from the field. With fellow future Cyclone Jalynn Bristow, Brown helped lead the 17U Team Lex Nation team to a National Title at the Adidas 3SSB Tournament this past summer.

Audi Crooks – Center, 6-3, Algona, Iowa (Bishop Garrigan)

Crooks is at No. 57 in the ESPNw Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 recruit rankings and is wrapping up a decorated prep career across multiple sports. On the basketball court, Crooks is the three-time Iowa Class 1A Player of the Year and has led Bishop Garrigan to the Class 1A state title game three times, claiming the title last season. Individually, Crooks has racked up 1,845 points at 71.1 percent shooting. She also has 955 rebounds and 287 blocks across three seasons. In track and field, she has won the last two Class 1A shot put state titles, breaking the division record last year with a throw of 45-1. In volleyball, Crooks was a three-time all-conference honoree and led the Golden Bears with 254 kills and 70 blocks this past season.

Arianna Jackson – Guard, 5-9, Des Moines, Iowa (Roosevelt)

Jackson, a four-star guard, has been a three-time All-State honoree (earning First Team honors in 2022) at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. She helped lead the Roughriders to last year’s Class 5A State Tournament for the first time since 2008. A three-time all-conference recipient, Jackson has racked up 787 career points and 301 rebounds, leading the state in 3-point shooting percentage as a sophomore at 64.3 percent. Jackson is another multi-sport star, having made the state championships in cross country and track and field three times. Jackson is a legacy Cyclone, with her father Hez playing football for the Cyclones from 1995-99 and brother Kendell currently a linebacker with ISU.

Kelsey Joens – Guard, 5-10, Iowa City, Iowa (West Liberty)

Another member of the Joens family is headed to Iowa State and will ensure Joens family continuity in the Iowa State program following older sister Ashley’s graduation following this season. The fourth Joens sister to play Division I basketball, Kelsey earned 2022 First Team All-State honors and was a three-time all-conference selection at Iowa City High. In helping lead City High to the state tournament twice, Joens racked up 1,056 points across three seasons, including 124 3-pointers. She will play her senior season at West Liberty High School for oldest sister Courtney, who took over as head coach over the summer.