Iowa State women's basketball media day takeaways: What's left for Ashley Joens to work on?
AMES – Iowa State women’s basketball player Ashley Joens is already the program’s career scoring leader, a two-time Cheryl Miller Award winner and an All-American. So what’s left for one of the most decorated players in school history to work on?
“We checked every WNBA team and not one of them really had anything specific that was going to change her draft stock,” Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly said during his team’s annual media day Monday.
Joens has had the attention of WNBA teams for years and popped up on mock draft boards last year. She decided to take advantage of the extra season of eligibility awarded by the NCAA during the COVID-19 pandemic and return to Iowa State for a fifth season.
There isn’t much more for her to accomplish from an individual standpoint. Joens has amassed 2,369 career points, more than any other active player in the nation. She’s also been named the nation’s top small forward the last two seasons and took Iowa State to the Sweet 16 last year.
Through the feedback Fennelly got from talking to WNBA teams about Joens’ pro potential, he learned that some teams really liked the versatile Cyclones star. Others weren’t as sold. Fennelly believes that can change if Joens improves in several small areas.
So there is still room for improvement.
“She’s got to limit her turnovers a little bit,” Fennelly said. “We’ve got to get her field-goal percentage up a little bit. She’s become a better defender. We’ve got to get her to handle the ball a little bit more so we’re trying to do that. Because at the next level she’s not going to be able to do some of the things she does for us.”
Joens has proven she can do a little bit of everything on the floor. And after seeing Joens show up an hour and a half before practice last Saturday to get up extra shots, Fennelly feels the Cyclones star will do whatever it takes to fix any perceived deficiencies.
“Her work ethic hasn’t changed,” Fennelly said.
More:Iowa State's Ashley Joens named Big 12 Conference preseason player of the year
Maggie Vick and Beatriz Jordao out with injuries
Iowa State is dealing with two significant injuries. Fennelly said Maggie Vick suffered a broken hand at practice, and Beatriz Jordao is dealing with lower leg issues.
Vick planned to see a doctor Monday and could be out anywhere from three to eight weeks. Jordao could miss substantial time as well.
“(They) won’t be available in the near future,” Fennelly said.
Iowa State opens the season with an exhibition against Winona State on Nov. 2.
Denae Fritz healthy and ready to make a big impact
Lost in the shuffle of Iowa State’s success last season was the injury to Denae Fritz. The guard from Tennessee appeared in just three games before suffering a fractured shin.
Fritz was impressive during that small sample and had a nice game against in-state rival Drake when she shot 4-for-7 from the field and chipped in with three rebounds and two assists.
She’s now healthy and ready to contribute again. Fennelly said Fritz has made massive strides and could be in the starting lineup.
“She’s going to impact our team dramatically,” Fennelly said.
Fennelly is a fan of her toughness and recently enjoyed watching her trash-talk the guys on Iowa State’s scout team.
"She wants to play," Fennelly said. "She wants to compete. She’s got an 'it' factor.”
What to expect from Shantavia Dawkins
Iowa State’s incoming recruiting class includes just one true freshman: 5-foot-7 guard Shantavia Dawkins. The Canada native averaged 14.2 points per game during her final season at Southwest Academy and boasts an impressive resume. That includes representing Canada at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championships, where her team won a silver medal.
But in Iowa State’s guard-heavy lineup, she’ll have to fight for playing time. That likely means playing a limited role early on.
“She knows it but she works really hard at it,” Fennelly said. “She’s a very, very coachable kid. I think she understands she’s just got to find a way to impact what we’re doing and be someone that comes off the bench and don’t turn the ball over and be a good defender.”
Tommy Birch, the Register's sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He's the 2018 and 2020 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468. Follow him on Twitter @TommyBirch.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What's next for Ashley Joens and Iowa State women's basketball?
