Surrounded by her friends and family in Dallas, Nikki Moody waited patiently.

The first two rounds of the WNBA Draft came and went, but the call she had been hoping for still had not come.

But late in the third round, that call finally came – the call letting Moody know she had made it to the WBNA.

“I never doubted that I would be here and get the opportunity, but I never knew for sure,” Moody said. “You never know. You can work hard and do everything that you need to do and still not make it. I’m just blessed to get to this point and just continue to be myself and actually make it and get the opportunity.”

The San Antonio Stars selected Moody with the 33rd overall pick in the draft on Thursday, making her the 13th Cyclone in school history to be drafted.

The Stars finished the 2014 season with a 16-18 record, but eventually lost to the Minnesota Lynx in the conference semifinals.

“It is great to see Nikki get drafted and have a shot in the WNBA,” said ISU coach Bill Fennelly in a statement. “I know it was a dream of hers and I am proud to have yet another Iowa State player selected. San Antonio is one of the league’s best franchises and head coach Dan Hughes is a friend of mine.”

Moody led the Cyclones this season with 14.5 points and 6.8 assists per game. She also broke Iowa State’s career assist record, finishing the year with 745 total assists.

The Dallas native traveled back home to Texas shortly after the NCAA tournament ended this spring to focus on draft preparation. Getting to be with her family during the draft, she said, made it that much more special.

“It means everything,” Moody said. “They’re the backbone of why I am who I am today and how far I’ve gotten from starting in the driveway of this house. I just felt like this is where I wanted to begin with another season.”

Moody will report to team camp in mid-may to start work with her new team. In the meantime, though, there is only one thing on her mind.

“Get in the gym; I’m getting in the gym every day until training camp,” Moody said. “I think I’m supposed to report to camp on May 15, and May 15 is my birthday. It’s just a great time to just experience this and for me to work toward this.”