Jacie Hoyt Says Signing This Transfer Was Key to OSU Landing Audi Crooks

The Oklahoma State Cowgirls landed one of the most impressive transfer classes in women’s basketball, but one big transfer led to another.

Oklahoma State Cowboys head coach Jacie Hoyt. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

After two years of watching Big 12 rival TCU land the biggest players in the transfer portal, Oklahoma State finally one-upped the Horned Frogs.

Or, rather, two-upped them.

ESPN published its list of five transfer portal winners for 2026-27 and the Cowgirls topped the list. They were ahead of TCU, which still did well and were No. 4. But the Horned Frogs didn’t land the “it” player in the portal as they had the past two cycles with guards Hailey Van Lith and Olivia Miles, both of which went on to become first-round WNBA draft picks.

This time, the Cowgirls landed the “it” player in the portal, Iowa State’s Audi Crooks. Cowgirls coach Jacie Hoyt recently pointed out the key transfer that helped land Crooks.

Which OSU Transfer Helped Land Audi Crooks?

Iowa State Cyclones' center Audi Crooks. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hoyt took a pass at recruiting Crooks out of high school, but the Angola, Iowa, star chose to stay in-state and play for Iowa State for three seasons and became a star. When she opted to leave the Cyclones, she did so having already become the program’s second all-time leading scorer behind program legend Ashley Joens.

Hoyt had a relationship she could lean into, but that’s not enough when pursuing the No. 1 player in the portal, one that every major program wants. Hoyt felt she landed her trump card three days before Crooks delivered the stunning news that she was transferred to OSU. That was when he landed the No. 2 player in the transfer portal, Florida guard Liv McGill.

"She could have gone pretty much anywhere she wanted," Hoyt said to ESPN. "When Audi sees Liv going here, who wouldn't want to play with her?"

Offensively, they’re perfect complements. Both averaged more than 20 points per game last year. McGill is an expert scorer who works well off the screen-and-roll game. Crooks sets quality screens, which opens space for McGill and the rest of the offense. Players like Crooks demand extra attention, so having her on the floor doesn’t just help McGill. It can help floor spacing for the rest of the team, including sole returnee Stailee Heard.

McGill has the skill to get the ball to Crooks in areas of the court where she excels. The center does a great job of claiming and maintaining position in the low post and knows how to feel pressure and use it as leverage to pivot to the basket.

With Crooks and McGill, Hoyt has assembled a team that can replicate TCU’s level of success the past two seasons. The Horned Frogs have been to the Elite Eight each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and had never been to the Sweet 16 before that. OSU hasn’t been to the Sweet 16 since 2014. Crooks and McGill could help the Cowgirls end that drought.