Caitlin Clark will forever call Iowa “home” as she embraces the next chapter of her basketball career.
Hours after the Hawkeyes’ 87-75 loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA women’s championship game in Cleveland, Clark reflected on her prolific career at Iowa in a heartfelt message shared Sunday night on X.
“Words cannot express my love for my teammates, coaches, fans and our university – Thanks for making my dreams come true. Wearing Iowa across my chest the last four years has been an honor. This place will always be home,” the 22-year-old Clark wrote.
In what was her final collegiate contest, Clark scored 30 points with eight rebounds and five assists, surpassing Chamique Holdsclaw’s record as the all-time leading scorer of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
“I’m sad we lost this game, but I’m also so proud of myself, I’m so proud of my teammates, I’m so proud of this program,” Clark said postgame. “There’s going to be tears. It is sad this is all over, and this is the last time I’m going to put on an Iowa jersey.
“It’s really hard to win these things. I think I probably know that better than most people by now. To be so close twice, it definitely hurts, but at the same time, we were right there.”
“South Carolina is so good. There’s only so much you can do.”
Clark and the top-seeded Hawkeyes reached the national title game last spring but were defeated by the LSU Tigers, 102-85.
Iowa defeated LSU, 95-87, last Monday en route to a Final Four berth.
As Clark’s collegiate career came to a close Sunday, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley lauded the star guard for “lifting up our sport.”
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” said Staley, who captured her third national championship with South Carolina, which went undefeated this season.
“She carried a heavy load for our sport. You are one of the GOATs of our games and we appreciate you.”
Clark shattered record after record this season, eclipsing Kelsey Plum’s NCAA scoring record of 3,527 points and becoming the all-time leading scorer among both women and men in major college basketball.
She is projected to be the No.1 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA Draft, with the Indiana Fever currently holding the top pick.
The WNBA draft takes place next Monday at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
