Ashley Joens Returns to Iowa as Ankeny High School Head Coach

Ankeny, Iowa — Ashley Joens, one of the most decorated players in Iowa girls basketball history, is coming home to lead the next generation of talent. Pending Ankeny Community School District board approval, the former Iowa State All-American and current Dallas Wings guard has accepted the head coaching position at Ankeny High School.

Joens, a native of Iowa City, announced the move Thursday on social media.

“Grateful for this opportunity to start the next chapter of my career,” Joens posted on X. “Excited to be a part of such a rich culture of girls basketball at Ankeny High School. Can’t wait to get to work. Go Hawks!”

The 2023 WNBA draftee inherits a program that reached the Class 5A state semifinals last season under former coach Nate Tobey, who stepped down after guiding the Hawkettes to a 16-9 record. Key returners include rising sophomore guard Aliyana Aguirre, along with underclassmen Callie Stull, Jenna Halbrook, Emma Worley and Emerson Hutchins—each of whom logged significant minutes during the 2023-24 campaign.

Joens’ résumé speaks for itself. At Iowa City High she poured in 2,178 career points—still among the Top 15 totals in Iowa 5-on-5 history—while averaging 30.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game as a senior. She shot 62 percent from the floor and 60 percent from beyond the arc that season, propelling the Little Hawks to a 25-1 mark and earning both Miss Iowa Basketball and Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year honors.

A five-star recruit, Joens stayed in state for college, spending five seasons at Iowa State. She left as the Cyclones’ all-time leading scorer, claimed the Cheryl Miller Award three times as the nation’s top small forward, was named Big 12 Player of the Year and earned second- and third-team All-America recognition. She also captained USA Basketball’s U18 team to gold at the FIBA Americas Women’s Championship and owns two senior-level gold medals with the United States.

The Wings selected Joens 19th overall in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She appeared in 24 games during her rookie season, providing energy off the bench and valuable veteran mentorship in the locker room.

Ankeny activities director staff confirmed the hiring via the school’s official Twitter account: “We are excited to announce that pending ACSD Board Approval tonight, Ashley Joens has accepted the head coaching position of [Ankeny] and we can’t wait to continue growing girls basketball at AHS.”

Joens will balance her new role with ongoing professional commitments, but her presence alone figures to raise the profile of an already successful program. Tip-off for the 2024-25 Iowa girls basketball season is still months away, yet anticipation in Ankeny is already building.