Caitlin Clark’s latest partnership is with Gatorade

She’s “still that girl from Iowa.”

But not any girl.

University of Iowa women’s basketball whirlwind Caitlin Clark has signed another major endorsement, this time with Gatorade.

The deal comes on the heels of a recent endorsement with State Farm. She also is endorsed by Hy-Vee, Nike and others.

In a 45-second reel released Tuesday, Clark said:

“I was once that little Iowa girl who was inspired to dream big, real big. And that dream was more than women's basketball. It was possibility that I turned into reality.

“I'm still that girl from Iowa. But now, it's my turn to inspire. If I can drop 40, you can drop 50. If we can draw 56,000 fans, you can draw 57. If I can sign with Gatorade, you can too."

Clark is the fourth collegiate athlete to join the Gatorade roster and the second college basketball player, joining Paige Bueckers, Shedeur Sanders and Nick Singleton.

“At Gatorade, we take pride in our elite athlete roster and have had the privilege of fueling some of the greatest athletes of all time," Jeff Kearney, Gatorade's global head of sports marketing, said in a statement.

“We're thrilled to be a part of Caitlin's journey to greatness early in her career and look forward to building upon the incredible impact she's already made.”

As part of Clark’s partnership with Gatorade, the brand is committing $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation, “dedicated to uplifting and improving the lives of youth and their communities through education, nutrition, and sport.”

In Tuesday’s statement, Clark said, “This partnership is special because not only does Gatorade fuel the best athletes in the game, but they’re also committed to leading by example and giving back, which is what I strive to do every day.

“I’m honored to join such an iconic brand that has some of the most elite athletes in sport on their roster and can’t wait for what’s ahead.”

Clark has lifted the Iowa women’s program, and brand, to unprecedented heights. The Hawkeyes were NCAA tournament runners-up last April.

She has moved into the Top 10 on the all-time national scoring chart, with 3,041 points, and is 18th in career assists (880).

Iowa is 10-1 and ranked No. 4 in the nation heading into Saturday’s game against Cleveland State, at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com