On Dec. 18, the University of Iowa Athletics Department announced that Clark’s No. 22 jersey would be retired in the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, coinciding with Iowa’s women’s basketball game against the fourth-ranked USC Trojans on Feb. 2.
Iowa Honors Basketball Legend Caitlin Clark With Jersey Retirement
Clark, a WNBA rookie and University of Iowa expat, returned to her alma mater on Sunday, Feb. 2, to watch the Hawkeyes retire her iconic No. 22 jersey.
Clark is one of the greatest NCAA basketball players of all-time, averaging 28.4 points and 8.2 assists over four seasons while guiding her team to two NCAA championships and three Big Ten Championships.
Clark came back to Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday to have her No. 22 honored at a ceremony following the Hawkeyes’ 76-67 triumph against No. 4 USC, one season after capping her historic college career.
A packed house witnessed Iowa’s biggest marquee win of the season before the jersey retirement of the Indiana Fever’s No. 1 draft pick, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, four-time All-American, and college basketball’s all-time leading scorer.
All smiles during the ceremony, she admits to experiencing butterflies beforehand.
“I feel like I already have those butterflies in your stomach when you walk in here,” Clark said during a pregame press conference. “Not so much for the basketball game now, but simply to be among everyone and enjoy this environment. I don’t have to compete for 40 minutes, although I wish I could. I believe that not having to compete will make me feel a little more emotional.”
“I just want to say thank you to everybody that’s here today,” Clark said in her jersey retirement speech.
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Clark has played a significant influence in boosting the popularity of women’s basketball. Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz told NBC Sports that the school did not want to wait to honor her despite knowing that it had been less than a year since she last wore her jersey.
Clark’s jersey retirement capped after a spectacular career at Iowa. She became college basketball’s all-time greatest scorer while leading the Hawkeyes to consecutive NCAA national championship appearances in the last two seasons. Her No. 22 jersey now hangs in the rafters, bringing inspiration for future generations of players.
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