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The Iowa women's basketball program has had stellar conference and March Madness runs under the leadership of Caitlin Clark, and now, the team is paying her the ultimate jersey tribute ahead of her departure for the WNBA.
Iowa announced they will raise Clark's jersey in the rafters and officially retire No. 22, per ClutchPoints. She will be the third player in program history to have their number retired. Clark's impact on the Iowa women's basketball squad was impeccable.
The star guard started her career with the Hawkeyes in 2020, and she got straight to work. Clark averaged 26.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds during her freshman year. In 2021-22, she picked off right where she left off, but with a twist.
Clark held averages of 27.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists while leading Iowa to a Big 10 conference championship. Then, she took an incredible jump during her junior year. After averaging 27.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.1 rebounds, she led Iowa to their second conference title and a March Madness run for the ages.
Iowa plowed through a deep field to face Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers in the 2023 title game. By this point, Clark had a reputation for being a true bucket-getter, and she was not afraid to engage in flashy celebrations. Angel Reese decided to give Clark a taste of her medicine after the Tigers beat the Hawkeyes 102-85.
Reese made a ring gesture and did the “you can't see me” expression to Clark after LSU won. The move was met with backlash, but fans were quickly reminded of Clark's own cinematic celebrations. Regardless, the title game was met with historical viewership, and it further fueled Clark's senior year.
A year for the ages: Caitlin Clark's Iowa women's basketball senior season
Clark and the Iowa women's basketball team left 2023's national championship with a bad taste in their mouths. They desperately wanted to win the title, so, Clark went back to work the following summer. To say that she entered her senior year fired up would be an understatement.
The star guard continued her offensive onslaught, averaging a college career-high 31.6 points and 8.9 assists to go with 7.4 rebounds. In addition, Clark broke too many records to count during her last year. Most notably, she eclipsed Kelsey Plum and Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring records.
She also broke Diana Taurasi's record for three-pointers in the NCAA Tournament when she went 9 for 20 in Iowa's 94-87 Elite 8 win over LSU. Before this, Clark led the team to their third straight Big 10 title. Afterward, she and her team faced numerous battles and advanced to the March Madness championship for a second straight year.
Unfortunately, Iowa lost 87-75 to a phenomenal South Carolina team. Thus, Clark's collegiate career came to an end. Nevertheless, her legacy will be remembered forever.
Now, the star is preparing to start her next journey in the WNBA, where she is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2024 Draft. The Indiana Fever possess the pick and are almost guaranteed to select the sharpshooting guard.
All in all, Iowa's decision to retire Caitlin Clark's jersey is a warm and fitting gesture. Her accolades and influence will be hard to top. Fans in Iowa City will hold memories of her play for a long time to come.
