The Dallas Wings have been without Diamond DeShields and rookie Lou Lopez-Senechal for the whole season so far. Lopez Senechal isn't expected to make her WNBA debut this season as she recovers from a knee injury. DeShields is also dealing with a knee injury and there is no timetable as to her possible return. WNBA teams are allowed to sign additional players to hardship contracts when they drop below ten available players. The Wings roster dropped below ten available players when they lost Awak Kuier temporarily due to an ankle injury. In the meantime, the Wings signed former Iowa State star Ashley Joens to a 7-day hardship contract.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind season for Ashley Joens who is back on the Wings roster, this time on a 7-day contract. Joens was drafted by the Wings with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2023 WNBA Draft. She initially made the training camp roster but was cut about a month into the season. The Las Vegas Aces signed Joens to a hardship contract last month but she was ultimately released. With the injury to Kuier, the Wings brought back a player they have a level of familiarity with.

Joens has played in a total of ten WNBA games as a rookie between the Aces and the Wings. She hasn't played much though only playing around two minutes per game. A top college star, Joens' rookie season highlights how difficult it's become to make a WNBA roster. She was a standout at Iowa State for five seasons.