The trial of a former ISU football player who is charged with raping his teammates’ younger sister begins Tuesday with jury selection.

Royce Hooks, senior in exercise and sport science, was charged along with teammate Brent Nash, junior in exercise and sport science, on Feb. 12, 2002 with second-degree sexual abuse, a class B felony. A conviction could mean up to 25 years in prison. Hooks’ trial starts Tuesday at 8:45 a.m. at the Story County Courthouse in Nevada. Nash’s trial is scheduled for Sept. 9.

Both Hooks and Nash have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Paul Rounds, head of the Nevada public defender’s office, will represent Hooks after court officials in February denied his request to have defense attorney John Martens represent him at public expense, according to the Daily staff reports. Assistant Story County Attorney Mary Howell Sirna will be the prosecuting attorney, Story County officials said.

ISU head football coach Dan McCarney is among the expected witnesses. Hooks’ trial is likely to last two weeks or more.

The charges stem from an incident that allegedly took place at a party Jan. 26, 2002 at 4701 Steinbeck St. #4.

In a complaint filed Feb. 12, 2002 with the Ames Police Department, Ashley Howard, the sister of former Cyclone offensive linemen Marcel and Aaron Howard, said she was sexually assaulted when she went into a room to get her coat as she was leaving a party that night.

According to the complaint,”the victim decided to leave and upon going into a dark coat room, she was assaulted sexually … against her will.”

Hooks and Nash were arrested Feb. 12, 2002 after the complaint was filed. They were released from the Story County Jail that day after posting $25,000 bond.

The players were indicted by a grand jury Jan. 17 on the sexual abuse charges when a Story County grand jury decided there was enough evidence against them to pursue a criminal trial, according to court documents.

Marcel Howard, a four-year letterwinner, graduated from Iowa State in December 2001. He completed his athletic eligibility in an Independence Bowl loss to Alabama in Dec. 27, 2001 after starting every game that season at left tackle. Aaron Howard, senior in exercise and sport science, redshirted the 2001 season but is no longer on the Cyclone football team.

Ashley Howard attended Iowa State for at least one year after the allegations were made public, but she is no longer listed in the ISU student directory. Howard has previously given the Daily the right to release her name in association with this case.

Hooks and Nash were suspended from the ISU football team immediately after their arrests. Both were linebackers on the ISU team. Nash played in five games in 2001, recording an interception. Hooks played in three games in 2001.

— The Associated Press and Daily staff reports contributed to this article.