The Colorado Women’s Basketball team has introduced a series to spotlight its 10 new players for the 2025-26 season, including five freshmen and five transfers. The latest feature focuses on freshman center Jade Crook.
Crook discussed her basketball upbringing in Albury, Australia, where she played alongside renowned athlete Lauren Jackson. “It was a really big part of my development. I grew up in Albury. I moved there at the start of high school, and then was lucky enough to be part of the NBL1 team with them. And then she was coming back out of retirement around the same time, which was really, really lucky, and I got to play against her. I took a development year before I was able to play properly in the NBL1. And she was just a great mentor to me. She’s obviously an amazing player. I fangirled [over] her the whole year. She just taught me a lot about different ways of playing in the post and showed me what was possible as well.”
When asked about other sports interests, Crook said her main focus remained basketball: “No, I played netball for like one season, but I didn’t really like it that much. But no, I really stuck with basketball. My dad used to play when he was younger, and he used to just take me in the backyard, and we used to play together. I have always just fallen in love with basketball, so I haven’t really ever had too much interest in anything else.”
Reflecting on international experience, Crook described winning the Asia Cup in China as a major highlight: “That team was really, really special. I went to the Center of Excellence in Canberra, which is like a high school at the [Australian Institute of Sport]. So all of the girls in that team, pretty much, were in this Australian team. So I’d been living with these girls for a year and a half at that point, and so they were my closest friends at the time. They were all playing on that team, and were playing against China in the grand final, against one of the girls, who is seven-foot-two…I was really proud of us…I’ve won two Asia cups…but…the one that we played in China against China…they had home court advantage…The crowd was crazy full…We ended up beating them…It was just one of those highlights…Wearing the green and gold for me means a lot…”
Crook’s decision to play collegiate basketball in the United States stemmed from family influence and observing fellow Australians advance through similar pathways: “I’ve always known about coming over for college. My dad came over when he was younger, and he went to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He always knew that it was kind of a pathway, but I got really interested in it after seeing a lot of Australian women coming through the collegiate pathway, and then going on to be in the WNBA and being in the Opals…”
She cited Colorado’s coaching staff as key factors behind choosing CU: “Honestly, for the coaches. They just had a really clear vision for what they saw for me and for the entire team, and I really loved that. I just know that they’re really genuine people…”
Looking ahead academically and professionally beyond basketball, Crook said: “Well, I either want to be a physio or an occupational therapist…My thought with the physio is,…I want to stay in sports,…I love working with athletes….I’m trying to be around athletes and improve experience as much as you can from a medical point of view because no one wants to be injured…”
She also spoke about teammates who inspire her: “I look up to [Jade Masogayo] a lot. I think she’s just a really good aggressive player…”
For fans seeking more information on schedules or results regarding Colorado Women’s Basketball or wanting updates via social media platforms such as Instagram or Twitter (@CUBuffsWBB), additional details are available on CUBuffs.com.
