After defeating two ranked opponents at home last week, the Iowa State women’s basketball team was rewarded. The team has made great strides to this point in the season and furthered the effort in two comeback wins.

“They trust each other,” head coach Bill Fennelly said. “It’s about how much they care about one another and how you prepare. That stuff just doesn’t happen on game day.”

For the first time this season, the Cyclones are ranked. Wins over, at the time, No. 24 West Virginia and No. 4 Baylor, allowed Iowa State to rocket into the AP top 25, taking over West Virginia’s place at No. 24.

It was the first time since the 2009-2010 season that Iowa State beat a top 25 team in back-to-back games.

While a ranking always looks good, Fennelly knows it isn’t everything. The Cyclones are riding an eight-game winning streak and the competition has gotten better every game.

“It does show some level that people respect what your players have done,” Fennelly said. “In the grand scheme of things it probably doesn’t mean a ton, but in the moment it means a lot.”

Not only was Iowa State ranked, the team was named the National Women’s Team of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. This is the first time this season the Cyclones have won the award.

Freshman center Audi Crooks was a big reason why the Cyclones won both games this past week. She took home Big 12 Player of the Week for the first time this season.

Not just Freshman of the Week; Player of the Week.

This is the first time in school history a freshman has won the award. Crooks added the honor to two previous Freshman of the Week Awards.

“You don’t see many freshmen winning player of the week,” Fennelly said. “I was really happy for [Crooks] and it’s something I think that she’ll remember for a long time.”

Crooks had 22 points and 11 rebounds against West Virginia to record her second double-double of the season. Against Baylor, Crooks had 23 points and six rebounds.