June 30, 2022
Aubrey Joens transfers to Oklahoma
By Tyler DeLuca
Aubrey Joens joins Oklahoma from Big 12 opposition Iowa State
In late April, Aubrey Joens announced that she would be leaving Iowa State to join Big 12 competitor Oklahoma. The Sooners were by no means pressed to find any shooting and the heavy majority of the team remained intact from their Top-16 seeding last season, but Sooners Head Coach Jennie Baranczyk tells The Next, she sees much more than shooting in Joens, who shoots 42.5% from distance.
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Thank you Iowa State❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/EiS9AK2yfm
— Aubrey Joens (@AubreyJoens) April 15, 2022
“She is an incredible three-point shooter. She is also a great rebounder; she comes from an incredible program. Really that first conversation, we just kinda dove into fit, what we were looking for, what she was looking for, and the rest is history.”
The history between Baranczyk and the Joens family did not start in the transfer conversations; it started back in their mutual home state of Iowa.
Aubrey Joens told The Next, “she recruited my oldest sister when she was in high school, so she knew me when I was pretty young. She obviously recruited all of us growing up and she recruited me. I made a relationship with her from talking on the phone and we always got along.”
Coach Baranczyk consistently has one of the most high-powered offensive systems in the nation, dating back to her time as the head coach at Drake; it is also a system that Joens expects herself to fit into perfectly.
“I like the way they run and pass ahead to get quick shots. I think it really fits me because of the way I like to run the floor and get open threes. I love the constant cutting and I think it is a really good offense.”
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Joens adds another offensive weapon to a well-rounded Sooner arsenal and Baranczyk believes her arrival will make it easier for everyone.
“I think it enables everybody to keep playing their game. I think it gives us even more depth; I love the depth of our team this coming season. I love the chemistry of this team. I think they challenge each other and we have had a great start to the offseason. There are a lot of things it enables us to do both in the full court and in transition.”
One game that plenty of fans in Iowa will be circling on their calendars is the game between Aubrey Joens and her Second Team AP All-American sister Ashley Joens who remained at Iowa State for her final year of eligibility.
“I am really excited to play them. I am really good friends with all of them and obviously my sister. I expect it to be a really competitive and fun game.”
Coach Baranczyk and Oklahoma will be looking to build on last season’s success in a loaded Big 12 conference and expect Aubrey Joens to play a significant factor in making that happen.
Written by Tyler DeLuca
Tyler DeLuca has been contributing to The Next team since May 2022. Tyler currently is the Big 12 beat writer for The Next. Tyler's work is also featured on Twitter with The Committee, hosting the "Art of the Paint" podcast and on Gameday U Hoops throughout the college season.
