Emotions were high following Sunday’s national championship game, in which LSU defeated Iowa for the program’s first title.
It was a historic moment for LSU. Iowa suffered a heartbreaking finish to a fantastic adventure that included one of the best individual seasons in college basketball history. After the game, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was asked about her role in expanding women’s basketball and introducing young fans to the game.
Monika Czinano, her teammate and outgoing senior, was the first to respond to the question, describing Clark as “a role model for tiny kids who want to grow up and be like her.” Clark burst into tears as it was her turn to respond.
Clark’s legacy at Iowa is largely incomplete. It is well established. She recently completed a record-breaking offensive season, earning consensus National Player of the Year accolades. She brought Iowa to within one win of their first national championship. She’s a strong prospect for the first overall pick in a powerful WNBA draft class that includes title-game adversary Angel Reese and UConn’s former National Player of the Year Paige Bueckers. However, that won’t happen until 2024.
Clark, a junior, is not eligible to play in the WNBA next season. So she, Reese, and Bueckers are projected to lead a strong senior class in the upcoming NCAA season, which will also include Stanford’s Cameron Brink and Louisville’s Hailey Van Lith.
So, while Sunday was awful, Clark’s trip at Iowa is unlikely to stop there. She has one more chance to achieve the perfect finale and continue to provide delight to her admirers at home.
