Iowa women's basketball forward Ava Jones medically retires from basketball

Iowa women’s basketball forward Ava Jones medically retires from basketball

Jones will remain on scholarship and continue to attend the University of Iowa.

June 7, 2024

Iowa forward AJ Ediger and Iowa forward Ava Jones walk off the court during an exhibition women’s basketball game between Iowa and Clarke University at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The matchup marks Iowa’s first game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the 23-24 season. Ediger was out for the game after sustaining a foot injury. Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said it is a non-contact injury to her foot and Ediger will be back. The Hawkeyes defeated the Pride, 122-49.

Iowa women’s basketball second-year forward Ava Jones has medically retired from the sport, per an announcement on Friday. Jones will remain on scholarship and continue to attend the University of Iowa to pursue a degree in sports media and culture.

Hailing from Nickerson, Kansas, Jones starred at Nickerson High School, posting 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game during her junior season, which earned her player of the year honors in Class 3A. She was also named as the No. 84 player in ESPN’s HoopGurlz player rankings.

Just days after Jones committed to Iowa in July 2022, she and her family were walking on a sidewalk in Louisville when they were struck by an erratic 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, and wasn’t sure if she would ever play basketball again. The Iowa women’s basketball program immediately reached out and said the university would honor Jones’s scholarship whether she would be able to play or not.

“Getting her as healed as we can is our responsibility now,” then Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said.

Jones did take the court during her senior season of high school and scored a basket, with the crowd later giving her a standing ovation. She actively posted her recovery process on social media, but was never able to make it on the floor during her freshman campaign with the Hawkeyes.

“It is with great sadness to announce that I am medically retiring from college basketball,” Jones said in a statement. “My coaches, doctors, teammates, and trainers have been amazing since the accident. While I will no longer be a member of the women’s basketball program, I will still be on scholarship, receive a world class education and forever be a Hawkeye.”

“We wish Ava the best on the road to recovery and fully support the decision she made to step away from the game,” Iowa head coach Jan Jensen said in a statement. “She worked tirelessly to get to this point, but she made the best decision for herself and her well-being.”

About the Contributors

Brad Schultz, Sports Reporter

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Brad Schultz is a sophomore at the University of Iowa majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minor in Sports Studies. This is first year working as a sports reporter and he has a deep passion and love for sports. Outside of the Daily Iowan, Brad is a contributor for Saturday Blitz, a college football site, with his content primarily covering Iowa and the Big Ten.

Grace Smith, Senior photojournalist and filmmaker

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Grace Smith is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa double majoring in Journalism and Cinematic Arts. In her four years at The Daily Iowan, she has held the roles of photo editor, managing summer editor, and visual storyteller. Outside of The Daily Iowan, Grace has held an internship at The Denver Post and pursued freelance assignments for the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Des Moines Register.