Imagine a basketball player whose sheer determination lights up the court, transforming every game into a battlefield of passion and grit. That's Addy Brown, the driving force behind the No. 14 Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team. But here's where it gets intriguing—her relentless competitiveness isn't just a trait; it's the secret sauce powering a squad hungry for big wins. Let's dive deeper into how this fiery spirit is shaping the 2025-26 season and why it might just redefine what it means to be a team player in college sports.
When Iowa State women's basketball coach Bill Fennelly first spotted Addy Brown showcasing her skills on the AAU circuit—an elite youth basketball league where top young talents compete nationally—he was struck by multiple aspects of her game. Yet, one quality stood out as the ultimate standout, overshadowing everything else.
"Competitive," Fennelly remarked during the No. 14 Cyclones' media day event on Thursday at the Sukup Basketball Complex, capturing it perfectly.
This unyielding mindset has been Addy Brown's constant companion throughout her life, fueling her every move. In fact, as a young girl, her grandmother pulled her aside for a heartfelt chat, offering some timeless advice that still echoes today.
"She always told me I needed to learn how to lose," Brown shared, reflecting on those early lessons. Now, alongside preseason Big 12 player of the year Audi Crooks, she forms an unstoppable frontcourt duo for Iowa State. "I just couldn’t ever do it."
Brown's intense, passionate style on the court energizes the entire 2025-26 Cyclone roster, which Fennelly calls "incredible" for its deep sense of unity and connection. The team welcomes playmaking transfer point guard Jada Williams, stepping into the shoes of Emily Ryan at the point guard position. Ryan, one of ISU's all-time greats, transitions to a graduate assistant role—a smart move to keep her wisdom on the court.
"What I told Jada and freshman point guard Reese Beaty was, every minute, every second, you can stand next to Emily Ryan and learn," Fennelly explained about the program's all-time leader in assists (a whopping 993) and free throw percentage (an impressive 88.5%). "Learn how we do things, and learn how successful people do things and learn how to play with Addy and Audi and the other guys."
And this is the part most people miss: The sheer impact of Crooks and Brown's combined talents. Crooks dazzled last season with a Big 12-best average of 23.4 points per game, shattering program records for total scoring (820 points) and made field goals (329). Brown, meanwhile, came tantalizingly close to a triple-double—a rare feat where a player achieves double digits in three of five major stats like points, rebounds, and assists—multiple times, averaging 15.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
"Those two together are a dynamic duo," said Williams, who brought her own flair from Arizona last season with 12.7 points and 2.9 assists per game. "Being a point guard and having those options is something that every point guard dreams of, so I’m super-excited."
The excitement is mutual. Fennelly, in his 31st year leading the program, hailed Williams as a game-changer, unlike any point guard he's seen before.
"Her ability to go downhill with the ball and her ability to guard the ball is the best we’ve ever had here," Fennelly noted. "Now, whether that translates into other things, is, ‘We’ll see.’ But she’s really hard to guard and our scout team guys do not like it when she’s guarding them, so I guess that would be the biggest compliment they’d pay to her."
At the heart of Brown's acclaim lies her infamous hate-to-lose mentality, extending beyond basketball to any contest imaginable.
"She likes to win, man," Crooks, a third-team All-American last season, attested with a grin. "She doesn’t like to lose at Uno, at Wii Sports, at basketball, so she’s definitely a competitor day in and day out. She shows it on her face. She’s aggressive. She’s passionate, and it just kind of brings some fun and some spunk to the game."
It's rubbed off on Crooks too, who often battles double- and triple-teams in the post (that's the area near the basket where big players like her dominate).
"People kind of know me as the girl who smiles a lot," she admitted. "So this last year, I think I smiled a little bit less, and got competitive a little bit more, so it’s starting to come out more."
For Brown, this full-throttle energy is on constant display, and she's aiming to propel ISU toward a Big 12 championship and a stronger NCAA tournament performance than their first-round exit last season.
"It doesn’t really matter what your rankings are now," she emphasized. "It matters what you do in March, so that’s our goal."
But here's where it gets controversial: Is this level of competitiveness always a positive force, or could it sometimes border on too intense, risking burnout or conflicts within the team? Some might argue that a 'hate-to-lose' attitude pushes players to greatness, while others worry it could overshadow teamwork or lead to unhealthy rivalries. What do you think—does embracing fierce competition like Addy Brown's elevate a team's success, or should coaches encourage more balance? Share your thoughts in the comments below; I'd love to hear if you agree, disagree, or have your own stories from sports!
