Donarski Earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year; Four Cyclones Honored

IRVING, Texas – Iowa State women's basketball freshman Lexi Donarski was named the unanimous Big 12 Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Cyclone to earn the prestigious honor since Megan Taylor in 1998. In addition, junior Ashley Joens earned unanimous First-Team All-Big 12 honors for the second-straight season, while Kristin Scott earned a spot on the All-Big 12 Second-Team and Emily Ryan was also named a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman Team, as voted on by the Big 12 coaches.

Donarski put together a blistering freshman campaign, averaging 13.1 points, while shooting 40.4 percent from the floor and 41.4 percent from long range. Her 48 triples on the season are a team-high. Donarski was the only Big 12 freshman to average double figures on the year, as she tallied 17 double-figure scoring games and four 20+-point performances. Donarski also averaged 2.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, while shooting 84.7 percent from the charity stripe.

The Big 12's top freshman also claimed a league-high five Freshman of the Week awards in 2020-21. The Cyclones captured nine of the 15 Freshman of the Week honors of the season. Donarski was also a unanimous selection to the All-Freshman Team.

Ashley Joens put together another monster campaign for Iowa State, landing unanimous first-team All-Big 12 honors for the second-straight season. Joens yet again led the league in scoring with 23.4 points and averaged 9.0 rebounds per game. Joens averaged career-bests in field-goal percentage (46.1 percent), while knocking down 42 triples and shooting a career-best 90.1 percent from the charity stripe. Joens' 585 points n the year currently ranks seventh in school history, while her 23.4 points per game sets a new school record for scoring average, besting Bridget Carleton's 21.7 PPG in 2018-19.

Kristin Scott earned Second-Team All-Big 12 for the second time in her career. The senior averaged 11.7 points, while shooting a team-high 50.2 percent from the floor. Scott added 5.9 boards and tallied 27 blocks on the year. Scott totaled 17 double-figure games on the regular season.

Emily Ryan was the only other unanimous selection to the All-Freshman team, averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, which ranks second in the Big 12. Ryan's 143 dimes on the year are also a freshman record at Iowa State. Ryan dished five or more assists in 15 games on the year, with two 10+-assist games. Ryan earned two Big 12 Freshman of the Week honors on the season.

2020-21 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards
Coach of the Year: Jim Littell, Oklahoma State (10th season at Oklahoma State, 10th overall)
Player of the Year: NaLyssa Smith, Baylor, F, 6-2, Jr., Converse, Texas
Defensive Player of the Year: Natasha Mack, Oklahoma State, F, 6-4, Sr., Lufkin, Texas
Newcomer of the Year: DiJonai Carrington, Baylor, G, 5-11, Gr., San Diego, Calif.**
Freshman of the Year: Lexi Donarski, Iowa State, G, 6-0, La Crosse, Wis.**
Sixth Player Award: DiJonai Carrington, Baylor, G, 5-11, Gr., San Diego, Calif.**

All-Big 12 First Team (honors listed alphabetical by school)

Player	School	Position	Height	Class	Hometown
NaLyssa Smith+**	Baylor	F	6-2	Jr.	Converse, Texas
Ashley Joens+**	Iowa State	G/F	6-0	Jr.	Iowa City, Iowa
Ayoka Lee+	Kansas State	C	6-6	So.	Byron, Minn
Madi Williams**	Oklahoma	G/F	6-0	Jr.	Fort Worth, Texas
Natasha Mack%**	Oklahoma State	F	6-4	Sr.	Lufkin, Texas
Lauren Heard+	TCU	G	5-9	Sr.	Denton, Texas
Charli Collier+**	Texas	F/C	6-5	Jr.	Mont Belvieu, Texas
Vivian Gray+^	Texas Tech	G	6-1	Sr.	Argyle, Texas
Kysre Gondrezick**	West Virginia	G	6-0	Sr.	Benton Harbor, Mich.
Esmery Martinez	West Virginia	F	6-2	So.	Hato Mayor Del Ray, D.R.

** Unanimous Selection

All-Big 12 Second Team

Player	School	Position	Height	Class	Hometown
DiDi Richards	Baylor	G	6-1	Sr.	Cypress, Texas
Moon Ursin	Baylor	G	5-6	Sr.	Destrehan, La.
Kristin Scott	Iowa State	F/C	6-3	Sr.	Kasson, Minn.
Taylor Robertson	Oklahoma	G	5-7	Jr.	McPherson, Kan.
Ja'Mee Asberry	Oklahoma State	G	5-5	RJr.	Tulsa, Okla.

All-Big 12 Honorable Mention
DiJonai Carrington (Baylor), Queen Egbo (Baylor), Holly Kersgieter (Kansas), Christianna Carr (Kansas State), JoAnne Allen-Taylor (Texas), Kyra Lambert (Texas), Celeste Taylor (Texas), Kirsten Deans (West Virginia), Kari Niblack (West Virginia).

** Unanimous First Team Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes voted first team by other nine coaches)
+ 2019-20 All-Big 12 First Team Selection
% 2019-20 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection
^ 2018-19 All-Big 12 First Team Selection
> 2018-19 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection

Big 12 All-Defensive Team

Player	School	Position	Height	Class	Hometown
DiDi Richards+^	Baylor	G	6-1	Sr.	Slidell, La.
Moon Ursin	Baylor	G	5-6	Sr.	Flower Mound, Texas
Natasha Mack^**	Oklahoma State	F	6-4	Sr.	Lufkin, Texas
Lauren Heard	TCU	G	5-9	Sr.	Denton, Texas
Charli Collier	Texas	F/C	6-5	Jr.	Mont Belvieu Texas

** Unanimous Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes selected for team on other nine ballots)
^ 2019-20 Big 12 All-Defensive Team Selection
+ 2018-19 Big 12 All-Defensive Team Selection

Big 12 All-Freshman Team

Player	School	Position	Height	Class	Hometown
Lexi Donarski**	Iowa State	G	6-0	Fr.	La Crosse, Wis.
Emily Ryan**	Iowa State	G	5-11	Fr.	Claflin, Kan.
Ioanna Chatzileonti	Kansas	F	6-2	Fr.	Athens, Greece
Neveah Tot	Oklahoma	G	5-3	Fr.	McKinney, Texas
Taylen Collins	Oklahoma State	F	6-1	Fr.	Muldrow, Okla.
Lexy Keys	Oklahoma State	G	5-7	Fr.	Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Tie in voting resulted in a six-person All-Freshman Team
** Unanimous Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes selected for team on other nine ballots)

Donarski Earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year; Four Cyclones Honored

Players Mentioned

Bridget Carleton

Lexi Donarski

Ashley Joens

Emily Ryan

Kristin Scott

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Iowa State University Athletics

Donarski Earns Big 12 Freshman of the Year; Four Cyclones Honored

Players Mentioned

Bridget Carleton

Lexi Donarski

Ashley Joens

Emily Ryan

Kristin Scott

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