The Indiana Fever are giving Caitlin Clark a college reunion with a little international flare at the start of her second WNBA season.
“We couldn’t be more excited to play at Carver-Hawkeye Arena and we know Iowa fans will deliver an unforgettable homecoming for Caitlin,” Indiana Fever President of Basketball Operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. “Countless Hawkeye fans have become Fever fans, and we consider them family. That’s what will make this preseason matchup so special for us.”
Clark won all major national player of the year awards and led the Hawkeyes to the Final Four in back-to-back seasons (2023-2024) to close out her record-setting college career. She was then selected by the Fever with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft and earned rookie of the year this past season after averaging 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Clark expressed her approval for the additional Fever exhibition game in May with a one-word reaction on social media. She tweeted, ‘Yes,’ in response when the Fever’s official X account asked, ‘Iowa, are you ready?’
Clark has appeared in multiple playing venues in Iowa because of her popularity. The Hawkeyes played a preseason exhibition game against DePaul in October 2023 at Kinnick Stadium, home of the university’s football program, and set a new women’s basketball record when 55,646 were in attendance.
Tickets for the Fever preseason game in May against the Brazilian National Team will be sold through the school, with more information to come at a future date.
This will be the first time in franchise history Indiana plays a game at Iowa, and team officials aren’t shying away from the dynamics that have led to their first visit. They described Carver-Hawkeye Arena as being, ‘known for its electric atmosphere and winning moments from No. 1 draft pick and former Hawkeye, Caitlin Clark’ in its news release announcing the matchup.
Perhaps she has one more thrill in store for the fans that helped turn her into a national phenomenon.