AMES – After appearing in four high school state championship games and being named the Iowa MaxPreps High School Girls Basketball Player of the Year, it is hard not to be ready for the big moment. Freshman guard Aili Tanke is no exception.
As a recruit, Tanke was ranked a four-star in the top 100 players in the class of 2024, according to ESPN, and was the top-ranked player in Iowa. Hailing from Johnston, Iowa, Tanke is familiar with Ames and grew up less than an hour away from campus.
“I used to be one of those little kids that would skip class to come and watch the games,” Tanke said. “I think it was a perfect first game since I used to be one of those kids, and now those kids watch us.”
In the exhibition game before the regular season began, the starting lineup consisted of four sophomores from the historic freshman class from a year ago and fifth-year senior guard Emily Ryan. Despite some question marks regarding who might take the final starting spot since it was somewhat up in the air, it seemed like it worked in the exhibition.
Guard Kelsey Joens was one of those starters in the exhibition, but she is the one Tanke replaced in the season opener. Joens has been a hustle player and contributes in any aspect of the game that she can, so she isn’t too worried about starting or not.
“As a freshman, that’s huge. She stepped in really well,” Joens said. “Looked like she belonged.”
Although head coach Bill Fennelly said he was going to try to get everyone in the game and continue to figure out rotations in the lineup, not many, including herself, expected to see Tanke in the starting lineup in the season opener.
“I found out yesterday (Sunday) after practice,” Tanke said. “But I didn’t really believe it until today (Monday) right before the game.”
Having less than a day’s notice that she would start in her first college game didn’t give her a lot of time to even process that it was actually happening. It was also an informal conversation that Tanke and Fennelly had when she heard the news.
“After practice, I was walking up the ramp, and he (Fennelly) was getting in his car and was like, ‘Tanke, are you ready for the game tomorrow?’ and I said yeah, and he said, ‘Well, good cause you’re starting,’” Tanke said. “My mouth just dropped. I don’t even think I said anything.”
Earning a starting spot on a Fennelly-coached team is not easy to come by. Sophomore center Audi Crooks, who was a unanimous decision to the First Team All-Big 12 as a freshman, didn’t start until the fifth game of her freshman year.
“It kinda felt like a dream. I honestly didn’t believe it,” Tanke said. “I was scared to tell people because I was like, ‘What if I just imagined it?’ no one else was really around. It was just me and coach Fennelly.”
Despite having all the emotions from starting, Tanke wasn’t phased. She shot 4-for-5 from the field and had 12 points and three rebounds in 17 minutes, tying redshirt sophomore Alisa Williams with the third-most points for the Cyclones in the season-opening win.
“I thought she played great, I really did,” Fennelly said. “I know I’ve bored you guys to tears with this, but we have literally given everyone a shot at it, and what you saw us do the other day is kinda what we do every day in practice.”
Heading into the next game against Indiana State on Thursday, Tanke looks like she’ll stay in the spot for now, but it isn’t guaranteed for the whole season.
“We’re gonna go with the best matchup, the best situation and it’ll change during the game,” Fennelly said. “Right now, she’s the best option.”
