Get ready for a Swarm, a Wave and a Kinnick crowd of 50,000 for Iowa women’s basketball

IOWA CITY — You’ll see a Swarm at Kinnick Stadium on Sunday. You’ll see The Wave at the end of the first quarter.

And here’s a bonus. You’ll see a potent offense.

The 2023-24 Iowa women’s basketball season tips off (kicks off?) with the Crossover at Kinnick, a 2 p.m. scrimmage with DePaul.

A crowd of more than 50,000 — “That’s my personal goal,” Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder said — is expected.

“I have no idea what to expect,” Sharon Goodman said. “I know that walking out of the tunnel, it’s going to be amazing. The first-quarter Wave will be cool, too.”

The Hawkeyes will be sending more than waves across Hawkins Drive. Proceeds from Sunday’s event will go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

All-America guard Caitlin Clark said that she would “start checking the weather forecast (last) Sunday.”

It looks promising, with a high of 55 degrees and clouds at tip time. In the event of rain, the exhibition will be moved to Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

If it remains outdoors, Clark said, “I plan on a couple of airballs because of the wind.”

Iowa is coming off the most successful season in school history (31-7 and NCAA national runner-up), and is in the midst of unprecedented popularity and attention.

Shortly after the Hawkeyes returned from the Final Four in Dallas, they hosted a celebration at the Pentacrest on campus. About 9,000 people showed up.

And that’s when the wheels started turning in Bluder’s mind about a competitive event at Kinnick.

“It’s in the back of your mind that wrestling did this not so long ago very successfully, so it can be done,” Bluder said.

Iowa hosted Oklahoma State in a wrestling match at Kinnick in November 2015. That event drew a crowd of 42,287.

“When I went to our athletics director, Beth Goetz, she said yes without blinking and that all of our administration took on so much added work,” Bluder said. “This is an away football weekend, and it's going to be treated like a football weekend almost.”

Bluder was asked at media day why she wanted to do this.

“Why not?” she said. “How much fun? And first of all, all the money we make is going to go to the children's hospital.

“Why not give my women an experience that not many people around the country get to do? We're going to be the first women's basketball game televised in the country (this season). I think it brings national attention to not only our program but to the University of Iowa.

“Why wouldn't we try to do this?”

Sunday’s event comes on the heels of a similar night at Lincoln, Neb. A crowd of 92,003 filled Memorial Stadium for a volleyball match between Nebraska and Omaha.

Last season ended in April, but there really hasn’t been an offseason for Clark, with awards and NIL demands (she signed on with State Farm Insurance earlier this week).

“There would be a possibility of having turmoil in your locker room with a superstar, but I think it helps us because we have dealt with a superstar before (in Megan Gustafson),” Bluder said. “Certainly Caitlin's popularity has exceeded that, there's no doubt.

“I think it speaks volumes that Gabbie (Marshall) and Kate (Martin) elected to come back and wanted to play with her. That shows you what kind of teammate she is. That shows you what kind of person she is.

“Caitlin has a little bit more attention, but when her light shines, it shines on everybody in that locker room, so let's all enjoy it.”

Sunday is the first of two exhibitions for the Hawkeyes; they will host Clarke University the following Sunday at Carver (a tip time has not yet been determined).

The season opens for real Nov. 6 at home against Fairleigh Dickinson.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com