Iowa forward Ava Jones takes medical disqualification, retires from college basketball
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Iowa sophomore forward Ava Jones will take a medical disqualification and will retire from college basketball, Iowa head coach Jan Jensen announced Friday following consultation with team doctors and athletic trainers.
Jones will remain on scholarship and will continue to work toward her degree at the University of Iowa. She was not cleared to play for Iowa’s 2023-24 season.
“We wish Ava the best on the road to recovery and fully support the decision she made to step away from the game,” Jensen said. “She worked tirelessly to get to this point, but she made the best decision for herself and her well-being.”
Shortly after having committed to Iowa in July 2022, Jones and her family were walking on a sidewalk in Louisville when they were struck by a driver, seriously injuring all of them. Her father Trey, 42, died from his injuries.
Jones suffered a brain injury, broken collarbone, and major structural damage to both knees.
It was uncertain if she would ever be able to play again, but the Iowa women’s basketball program immediately reached out and said the university would honor Jones’s scholarship.
A native of Nickerson, Kansas, Jones starred at Nickerson High School, averaging 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game during her junior season. She earned player of the year honors in Class 3A and was also ranked as the No. 84 player in ESPN’s HoopGurlz player rankings.
Hawkeyesports.com contributed to this report