Caitlin Clark will always call Iowa “home” as she embarks on the next phase 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 offered a personal message on X Sunday night, reflecting on her outstanding time at Iowa.
“Words cannot explain how much I adore my teammates, coaches, fans, and our university. Thank you for making my dreams come true. Wearing Iowa on my chest for the past four years has been an honor. Clark, 22, wrote: “This location will always be home.”
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.
