Inspirational Iowa Hawkeye Player Medically Retires from Basketball

Those that are Iowa Hawkeye fans or just casual fans of Women's College Basketball have heard Ava Jones' story.

That story on the court came to a close as of this past weekend, as the longtime Hawkeye Women's Basketball player has decided to medically retire from the game.

Jones has been an inspiration to those within the program and beyond, as she had been working to recover a career that was impacted by a devastating car accident that occurred back in 2022.

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As a result of the 2022 accident, Jones' promising playing career had become an uphill battle, leaving her unable to ever become medically cleared to play.

Per ESPN.com:

(Jones) will take a medical disqualification and retire from playing in college. The decision came after consultation with team doctors and athletic trainers. Jones will remain on scholarship and keep working toward her degree. Her scholarship doesn't count against the limit of 15 active players.

 

Jones was with the Hawkeyes last season but was never medically cleared to play. Jones' father, Trey Jones, was killed while she and her mother, Amy Jones, were injured July 5, 2022, when an impaired driver hit them when he veered onto a sidewalk in Louisville, Kentucky, where Ava was competing in an AAU basketball tournament. The Jones family is from Nickerson, Kansas.

 

Ava Jones suffered a traumatic brain injury, torn ligaments in both knees and a shoulder injury. Amy Jones suffered a brain injury and 21 broken bones. Trey Jones died in the hospital after the crash.

Jones' legacy on and off the court will be remembered as one of resilience and hope, and we wish her all of the best in the next chapter of her story.

To see the whole story from ESPN.com, visit the link here.

Source: ESPN.com