Ava Jones

About

Basketball player and disability advocate known for being a multi-sport standout at Nickerson High School and for committing to the University of Iowa women's program in July 2022 . She was then two days after her commitment struck alongside her family by an impaired driver in an accident that killed her father and left her with a traumatic brain injury and extensive knee damage which ended her basketball career and led her to begin disability advocacy work instead.

Before Fame

She became a three-sport athlete at Nickerson High by playing basketball, volleyball, and track and field. She captured a state championship in the high jump in track, placed at state in pole vault and javelin, and qualified for multiple events as an upperclassman. She excelled in basketball and was recruited by multiple colleges. She committed to Iowa in July 2022. She stayed committed to Iowa but was medically disqualified by Iowa after her life sustaining injuries prevented her from playing for the team in 2024. 

Trivia

She was the Reno County Girls Player of the Year in 2022. She became a state champion high jumper who credits track technique for her timing on rebounds and shot contests.

Family Life

She grew up in Nickerson, Kansas. While in downtown Louisville, Kentucky for a basketball tournament, she, her mother Amy, and her father Trey were struck on a sidewalk by a car. Her father Trey was killed and she and her mother sustained life altering injuries.

Associated With

She joined Iowa during the height of the Caitlin Clark era and shared a locker room with her. She was supported by Kate Martin while part of the Iowa team.