Ashley, Aubrey and now Kelsey ... another Joens is headed to Iowa State

IOWA CITY — As you might expect, there really wasn’t much doubt in this decision.

“It was just Iowa State,” Kelsey Joens said.

A junior at Iowa City High, Joens committed to the Cyclones on Sunday. She will be the third daughter of the Joens family to play for Coach Bill Fennelly at ISU.

Ashley Joens will conclude an All-America career in Ames next season, and Aubrey Joens will be a sophomore.

Barring redshirt or something else unforeseen, Aubrey and Kelsey will play one college season together, in 2023-24.

“The one (high school) season we played together, I loved it so much,” Kelsey said in a phone interview on the drive home from Ames. “I can’t wait to do it again.”

The eldest of the five girls, Courtney Joens played at Illinois. So Kelsey’s pledge makes it 4-for-4 for the family in Power Five women’s basketball.

Kelsey said that Ashley and Aubrey “told me how great the coaches are. The fan base ... everybody comes down and supports them. The way (Hilton Coliseum) gets so loud, it’s just great.”

As a sophomore, Joens earned Class 5A second-team all-state honors, averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists as the Little Hawks went 10-5 and reached the Class 5A regional finals.

City went 23-2 in 2019-20, the year Aubrey was a senior and Kelsey was a freshman. That season ended in the state semifinals.

Joens received offers from Nebraska and Michigan, but in the end, as she said:

“It was just Iowa State.”

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com