Iowa women’s basketball to hold scrimmage at Kinnick Stadium against DePaul

IOWA CITY — Iowa women’s basketball will be playing at Kinnick Stadium for the first time in program history.

The Hawkeyes will hold an outdoor scrimmage at Kinnick on Oct. 15, the team announced Thursday in a news release, with proceeds benefiting the University of Iowa’s Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Iowa will play DePaul in the “Crossover at Kinnick” event. The scrimmage will begin at 3 p.m.

“We’re super excited to play in front of the best fans in the country inside Kinnick Stadium,” Iowa guard Gabbie Marshall said in the news release.

The exhibition will move inside to Carver-Hawkeye Arena if there inclement weather.

The exhibition in 69,250-seat Kinnick Stadium comes amid exploding interest in Iowa women’s basketball. The Caitlin Clark-led Hawkeyes shattered TV rating records during their Final Four run, and the athletics department had to stop accepting 2023-24 season ticket deposits in April.

“I am thankful that our administration has the same vision as we do for our program and are willing to take on this amazing opportunity for our team to be showcased,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said in the news release.

The NCAA record for women’s basketball attendance is 29,619, which was set during the 2002 Final Four.

“Our team is excited to be able to attempt to break the all-time attendance record for women’s basketball,” Bluder said. “I know, if anyone can do it, Hawkeye fans can and will!”

Season ticket holders will first have access to buy “Crossover at Kinnick” tickets on Aug. 15, followed by football season ticket holders and Iowa donors on Aug. 16 and the general public on Aug. 17.

Kinnick-only tickets will cost $10 for adults and $5 for youth and students. Iowa also will sell $20 rain-or-shine tickets that allow fans to see the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in case of bad weather.

The outdoor tickets are non-refundable. If the game moves inside, outdoor-only ticket buyers will instead receive a “commemorative digital souvenir from the event,” according to the news release.

The Big Ten’s B1G+ streaming platform and the Hawkeye Radio Network will broadcast the scrimmage.

DePaul posted a 16-17 mark last season, including an 8-12 record in Big East play. Its top player, Aneesah Morrow, transferred to LSU after the season.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com