Very few sports figures leave their lasting impact on a geographic region. Caitlin Clark’s tenure at Iowa is among that very few.
All the superlatives have been used and all have applied to describe the magnitude of Clark’s popularity in her home state. She helped put Iowa on the basketball map as the Hawkeyes became national sensations from 2022 to 2024. They made back-to-back appearances in the national championship game and Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history. Along the way, she became a human highlight reel with her trademark logo 3s, clutch moments and captivating humility, endearing her beyond the realm of basketball.
Those memories came flooding back on Sunday when Clark and the Indiana Fever played an exhibition game at Carver Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, taking on the Brazilian National Team. The game was part of a concerted effort by the WNBA to draw in more fans by bringing preseason games to the college campuses that produced some of the league’s marquee players.
The fans showed up and showed out. Among them were Clark’s former coaches Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen, as well as teammates Hannah Stuelke, Gabbie Marshall and Kylie Feurbach, to name a few.
As expected the Fever dominated Brazil, 108-44. Clark finished with 16 points,…
