Iowa women's basketball will have an emotional day on Sunday, as the Hawkeyes will retire Caitlin Clark's jersey. The ceremony will take place after the Hawkeyes play No. 4 USC. The Indiana Fever star was an iconic player for the program and brought unprecedented attention to the sport in general. Iowa's athletic director, Beth Goetz, gave an honest take on this moment to NBC Sports lead college basketball insider Nicole Auerbach.

“It’s nice to be able to celebrate somebody in the moment — as close to that moment as you can because you don’t always have that opportunity. So, we’re doing it quickly here, but it’s also a wonderful homecoming for her and an opportunity for our fan base to get a chance to celebrate her again.”

Caitlin Clark deserves her flowers for what she gave to Iowa women's basketball

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots the ball during the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament between Iowa and LSU at MVP Arena, Monday, April 1, 2024 in Albany, N.Y.
Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Sunday will be an incredible moment for the program as it honors its all-time great. Caitlin Clark's accolades are too many to count. To sum some of it up, she is the only Division-I player to record 3,700+ points, 1,000+ assists, and 850+ rebounds in a career. Clark was a three-time unanimous NCAA First-team All-American and two-time Naismith College Player of the Year.

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She led Iowa women's basketball to two straight National Championship game appearances and is the all-time leading scorer among college basketball players. However, that is only a fraction of what Clark accomplished in Iowa City, and it does not even highlight her off-court accomplishments. The efforts of the Iowa legend, alongside standout players like Angel Reese, have elevated the sport to new heights.

Caitlin Clark will attend the game, as the Indiana Fever will play in an exhibition game against Brazil in Iowa. The Des Moines, Iowa native gave a touching statement about the upcoming honor.

“(University of Iowa) holds a special place in my heart that is bigger than just basketball, and it will be a great feeling to look up in the rafters and see my jersey alongside those that I’ve admired for so long.”

At just 23 years old, Caitlin Clark will see her jersey in the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. On the same day, A'ja Wilson will receive the same recognition at the University of South Carolina. As more and more legends are being cherished by these programs, women's basketball will continue to see the exponential growth it's been experiencing. It's an exciting time to be a fan, and the best is yet to come.