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Ava Jones will medically retire from Iowa women’s basketball

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3 months ago

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Ava Jones will medically retire from Iowa women’s basketball

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Ava Jones’ chance at a miraculous comeback to the court has unfortunately ended.

The Iowa women’s basketball rising sophomore will medically retire from the sport while remaining on scholarship, the university announced Friday morning. The decision stems from severe injuries Jones suffered shortly after committing to the Hawkeyes in July 2022, when an impaired driver collided with her and her family on a sidewalk in Louisville, Kentucky, while attending an AAU tournament. Jones lost her father in the accident, and her mother suffered significant injuries as well.

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

More: Iowa’s Ava Jones starts YouTube channel to document recovery after tragic accident

After numerous surgeries, most notably to address a traumatic brain injury and multiple torn ligaments in both knees, Jones redshirted during the 2023-24 season with hopes of returning at some point in her Iowa career. Jones didn’t travel with the team last season. But she attended essentially every Iowa home game while sitting behind the Hawkeyes’ bench, remaining an integral part of Iowa’s magical campaign.

“There’s no way we’re going to give up on a kid who supported us, who believed in us,” former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said in November 2022 when announcing Jones’ signing. “It’s not just about basketball. It’s about integrity.”

In January, Jones started a YouTube channel that detailed different elements of her recovery and offered hope that progress was mounting. Her most recent video posted on April 20 showed Jones shooting in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and garnered more than 19,000 views with 130-plus supportive comments.

However, according to the release, a medical disqualification was decided after consultation with team doctors and trainers. Jones will continue working toward her degree at Iowa without a financial disruption, but her scholarship will no longer count against the Hawkeyes’ ledger moving forward.

Previously maxed out at 15 scholarships for next season, Iowa can now dip back into the transfer portal if it desires. The Hawkeyes poked around with Arkansas transfer Maryam Dauda last month before she chose South Carolina, leading many to wonder how the Hawkeyes planned to manage the scholarship situation if it materialized. Iowa would’ve likely had to get creative with an NIL deal to do so.

Now, the Hawkeyes have a clear spot open while continuing to honor their commitment to Jones amid a tragic situation.

“I would like to start by saying how grateful I am to have been a part of the Iowa women’s basketball program, Jones said in a release. “I am extremely blessed to have been a part of the journey last season.

“It is with great sadness to announce that I am medically retiring from college basketball. 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. I’d like to thank my family for the never-ending support, and I am excited for the next chapter in my life.”

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard. 

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