Losing Caitlin Clark was never going to be easy. Losing Clark and fellow starters Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, and Molly Davis? Well, it’s not hard to see why Iowa has struggled this season. It’s not enough that the Hawkeyes lost Clark; they also lost longtime head coach Lisa Bluder, who had been there for 24 seasons.
Jan Jensen was promoted to Head coach after Bluder’s retirement, and she’s been taking the rebuilding process step by step. Replacing Bluder’s impact and a player of Clark’s calibre is never going to be easy, and Iowa fans are currently feeling the pains of growing.
Hawkeye’s Faithful Feeling the Effects of the Post-Clark Era.
Caitlin Clark is one of the greatest players in women’s college basketball history. In her last two years with the Hawkeyes, she led them to back-to-back championship title games. A year after Clark left, however, Iowa didn’t make it past the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Clark and Bluder’s exits served Iowa a double blow, and Bluder staying on might have mitigated the impact of Clark’s loss. The transfer portal’s deadline passed a couple of weeks ago, and Iowa is struggling to get commitments, leaving fans to wonder if the program is heading in the right direction.
Fans are worried about Iowa’s inability to attract big names to the program, but Jan Jensen has urged patience. Her plan to rebuild is a slow and steady one rather than rushing into it—a smart decision, that is. She’s not necessarily looking for a central piece like Clark; rather, she’s looking for a boost to her current roster. Add in the fact that Iowa is not exactly deep in their pockets in this era of NIL.
Raina Hamon, the lead recruiter, left to become the head coach at Florida Gulf Coast. This could also be a factor affecting the incomings. As much as Iowa fans want to see positive movements in the portal, Jensen claims they are looking for the right fit. They have only signed former Georgia Tech guard Chazadi “Chit-Chat” Wright, who averaged 7.2 points and 2.6 assists per game last season.
“We got the piece we absolutely had to have. Now there is a couple kids that I’m vetting for us,” Jensen said of whether they’ll make any other acquisitions in the transfer portal. “The portal has always been about that fit… They’ve kind of got to fit what we do, and when I talk to them or when they take the visit, how that gels. Because I think kind of what makes Iowa different, or I like to think enjoyable to watch, is that cultural piece and how we play together.”
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“So that’s the thing with the portal, it’s striking that balance. It’s getting pieces to make you better but making sure that they still fit,” Jensen continued. “The portal is like speed dating. You’re asked to sign a prenup, and you’re not sure about the prenup, but you’re going to sign it and move in together real fast.”
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