Iowa update: Clark announces WNBA future, but Hawkeyes’ core is focused

There is so much at stake for the No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes.

This Sunday will be their last regular season at home against the Big Ten regular season champion Ohio State Buckeyes, the team that ended the Hawkeyes’ 15-game winning streak in January. They are looking to avenge their loss and secure a No. 2 seed so they can host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at Carver Hawkeye Arena for a third-consecutive season.

Not only that, but Sunday’s showdown will be featured on ESPN’s College GameDay and FOX. Last year’s thrilling regular-season finale against then-No. 2 Indiana, broadcast on ESPN, culminated in Caitlin Clark’s buzzer beater.

It will also be Senior Day, when five Hawkeyes will be honored: Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, Sharon Goodman and Molly Davis.

Caitlin Clark

There is not much more that can be said about Clark and her indelible legacy. She is coming off surpassing Lynette Woodward as the all-time leading scorer in high-major women’s college basketball history against Minnesota. On Thursday, she announced that she is declaring for the 2024 WNBA Draft, where she will be the No. 1 pick selected by the Indiana Fever.

It was a decision that she pondered for some time and, given all the pros and cons, looks forward to the next challenge in her life. But at the moment, she is committed to staying focused on one game at a time, with the end game of winning a national title. At a Friday media availability, Clark shared:

I think just being excited about starting something new and starting a new chapter. Obviously my focus is here. My goal is to win a national title. That’s plain and simple. That’s what I want to do. To be honest, I’m not really looking that far ahead into the WNBA and what’s gonna happen when. All of that will get panned out whenever our season ends and hopefully that’s with a national title. So I think that’s my main focus.

She is also going into Sunday’s game 18 points away from passing Pete Maravich as the all-time leading scorer in high-major college basketball history, women or men.

Kate Martin

The sixth-year player, best known as “the glue,” has been the Hawkeyes workhorse during her tenure. Her tenacious style of playing—scoring at will when needed, relentless rebounding and a couple block shots that get the fans and herself ecstatic—has made her one of the most beloved Hawkeyes. Her transition into scoring more points (13.0 points per game this season compared to 7.7 last season) resulted in a nomination for the USBWA National Player of the Year award.

For the future, Martin has set her sights on continuing to play and eventually coaching, following in the footsteps of head coach Lisa Bluder. On Friday, she offered advice to the next generation of players looking to fill that leadership role as “the glue”:

I’ve always thought that the word is kind of silly. I think there are a lot of glue pieces on our team. It’s not just me. I’ve gotten the name “the glue” and I’ve just kind of ran with it. It’s been cool, but for other people who want to be in this position in a leadership role, I would just say do anything you can to make your teammates’ lives easier. Even if it is just a little pep talk, be super encouraging, vocal. That is what I have tried to do. I have never worried about stats or anything like that, I’ve just worried about how I can make somebody feel better in their day or how I can help my teammate.

Gabbie Marshall

The fifth-year player, much like Martin, has seen it all. Her sharp shooting, playmaking and veteran presence has made her a beloved talent as well. Now she is ready to enter the next chapter of her life by going to graduate school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she will be pursuing a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy.

Marshall has been overwhelmed by the popularity of the team and seeing her name on the back of many people’s shirts is something she never could have expected. When she looks back at what she and the Hawkeyes have meant to the next generation of fans and future ballers, she is humbled that she was able to be part of a sea change and setting a positive example for others to follow. She shared:

We all tried to be great role models. Coach Bluder always says there are so many eyes on us. So many little boys and girls that are looking up to us and that we inspire every single day. I think that it is really important to represent this school and this program as well as we can and I think we have done a really good job at that. We always make it a point to interact with the little kids and we know that one interaction can change their whole day or their whole week or their whole year. So I think it is important to be that great role model on and off the court.

Sharon Goodman

Over four years, Goodman has had to overcome many obstacles. When she first got to Iowa for the 2020-21 season, her mother had passed away. Then, she did not play the following season due to a torn ACL. She has been able to provide some key minutes during this season, including starting from time to time. She also shot 60 percent from the field in 15 games.

After some intense thinking, she decided that she will graduate this season, not enter the portal and will attend nursing school, although she is still undecided about where. Through tears, she reflected back on her time at Iowa. Goodman has many memories to cherish, but there is one that stood out with her most:

It might be just the basic answer, but last year when we made that run to the Final Four. It was such a joy for me to be able to see the five starters last year that we had for those three years. To see those five starters do that and accomplish that for the whole team. To see their growth over three years and then to see them accomplish that, that was very special for me.

Molly Davis

Davis couldn’t attend the pre-game press conference due to her class schedule. After arriving at Iowa from Central Michigan, she has come into her own as a playmaker, able to take command of the offense much in the same vein as Clark. She has scored in double figures in eight games, earned all-tournament honors at the Florida Gulf Coast Showcase in November and started from time to time. Her future plans are unknown.

In her opening statement, head coach Lisa Bluder recognized how special the moment is, but, knowing that the stakes are high going into Sunday, she is keen on getting a win over Ohio State. “We need full effort and full focus on this Ohio State game” she said.

When it comes to the Senior Day festivities, as well as the surge in popularity due in large part to Clark, Bluder remains focused on the little things and maintaining a culture where everyone feels a part of the team. It is that kind of environment that can make things easier for star talent to thrive. “Since we have that culture already established, it really helps when you have a mega star like Caitlin come in,” she noted.

No. 6 Iowa (25-4, 14-3) will take on No. 2 Ohio State (25-3, 16-1) at 12 p.m. CST on Sunday Mar. 3 (FOX).