'That kid will be a first-round pick.' K-State coach Jeff Mittie sees big things for ISU's Ashley Joens
AMES – Ashley Joens’ decision to bypass the WNBA Draft last year and return to Iowa State was great news for the Cyclones and their fans who get one more season from one of the best players in school history.
But Joens coming back to college wasn’t something that excited everyone, especially opposing coaches in the Big 12 Conference who have watched her cause problems ever since she first arrived in Ames.
“I’ll be glad when she’s a first-round pick,” said Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie following his team’s 67-56 loss to the No. 15 Cyclones at Hilton Coliseum on Wednesday night. “And (I) will gladly give them a recommendation for her.”
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Joens, a 6-foot-1, guard/forward for the Cyclones, is well-known throughout the conference. She’s in her fifth season at Iowa State after deciding to take advantage of the extra season of eligibility awarded by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There wasn’t much left for Joens to accomplish. She had already become Iowa State’s all-time leading scorer and had taken the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 last season. Her success captured the attention of WNBA teams and Joens mulled over entering the draft last year.
Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly reached out to every team to get feedback on Joens’ draft potential. Some saw her as a first-round draft pick. Others didn’t even see her getting selected. That uncertainty, combined with the talent Iowa State had returning this season, prompted Joens to return for another season.
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Joens is once again putting up great numbers, averaging 19.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and two assists per game. An ESPN mock draft back in November had Joens being selected by the Connecticut Sun with the 10th overall pick. Mittie, a long-time Big 12 coach, agrees that Joens shouldn’t have to wait long.
“That kid will be a first-round pick,” Mittie said. “(She) should have been a first-round pick last year but she chose to come back, which is really good for Iowa State.”
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: K-State coach Jeff Mittie thinks Iowa State's Ashley Joens is a first-round talent
