IOWA CITY, Iowa – For the Iowa women’s basketball team, this past week was productive on the recruiting trail.

Lisa Bluder’s Hawkeyes secured a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 Kansas forward Ava Jones on Sunday, and just three days after having landed guard Kinnese Johnson-Etienne from Illinois.

Jones had previously been committed to Arizona State, but she re-opened her recruitment after the school had a coaching change.

“I chose Iowa because of the winning culture, the incredible fan base, and it just felt like home,” Jones said to the Hutchinson News in Kansas, “The second time around with the recruiting process was a lot more fun since I could actually go on visits and meet the players and staff. I am grateful that I had another chance to form relationships with more coaches.”

Ranked 83rd nationally by ESPN in the 2023 senior class, Jones averaged 20.8 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season. She also led Nickerson High School to a 23-3 record and to a fourth-place finish in the Kansas Class 3A state tournament.

Jones picked Iowa over reported scholarship offers from Ohio State, Texas Christian University, Tulsa, Wichita State, Minnesota and Drake.

Jones and Johnson-Etienne are both members of the 2023 senior class.

NCAA rules prohibit college coaches from commenting publicly on a recruit before the recruit has signed a national letter of intent.

https://twitter.com/avajones_35/status/1543630144593616904?s=20&t=3cUxT_RLdVwxLTZRlUOcGA