IOWA CITY, Iowa — Kate Martin has carried several nicknames over her six years with Iowa women’s basketball, but one description stands out above all to fellow senior Gabbie Marshall.
“She’s been my rock,” Marshall said. “I’ve never met a better leader than her.”
Every Iowa player says she leans on Martin throughout challenging moments or when she needs a dose of truth. She’s supportive, passionate and disciplined. They say nobody has worn the title “team captain” better than Martin, who has served in that role the last three seasons. No player has garnered as much trust from the coaching staff or has earned the respect of her teammates as Martin. That includes superstar batterymate Caitlin Clark.
“She’s somebody that’s wired the same way as me,” Clark said. “At times that means me and Kate butt heads, but at the end of the day, we know how much we love each other. We step off the court, and it doesn’t matter, we just make each other better.”
As Martin and Iowa’s other senior teammates prepare for Monday night’s NCAA Tournament second-round game against West Virginia, thoughts swirl from how their Iowa journey began to how there’s no time for reflection. Admittedly non-emotional, Martin collected her thoughts before her final pregame…
