Hawks took us on a magical ride

Somehow, all the superlatives stacking up to describe the performance of the Iowa women’s basketball team simply aren’t enough to describe what this team has meant to Iowa, women’s college sports and the next generation of girls who want to be like Caitlin, Kate or Gabbie.

It’s like we don’t have language that adequately describes the magic these Hawkeyes have conjured again and again on the road to a second Final Four. Win or lose, this has been an incredible ride filled with moments that amazed us and left us in awe.

Of course, anyone who has watched the Hawkeyes knows this a team that plays with speed, abandon, and joy. Sure, its best-known player is senior Caitlin Clark, who broke a list of all-time college basketball records longer than her logo three-pointers. Folks wanting to see her play in person, on the road and at home, have jammed arenas to the rafters. This week she was awarded the Naismith and AP Player of the Year awards for the second straight year.

But Clark would be the first to tell you Iowa’s success has been a team effort, fueled by remarkable chemistry. There are fellow seniors Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall, outstanding players critical to Iowa’s success. Hannah Stuelke has grown into a force in the paint and is the target of many of Clark’s laser passes. When senior Molly Davis suffered a knee injury late in the season, junior Sydney Affolter stepped up and became a major factor in Iowa’s successful tournament run. Junior Addison O’Grady played a pivotal role in Iowa’s victory over LSU in the Elite Eight.

Clark has handled the pressure of being a star and a transformational player in college basketball remarkably well. On Monday, 12.3 million people tuned in to Iowa’s showdown with LSU, making it the most-watched college basketball game in ESPN history.

This isn’t surprising when you consider who mentors these players, Head Coach Lisa Bluder and Associate Head Coaches Jan Jensen and Jenni Fitzgerald. They’ve created a positive culture, strong leadership on and off-court and remarkable stability in the Iowa basketball program that has allowed the Hawks to mature and thrive.

Sadly, this chapter is coming to an end. We’ll say goodbye to seniors Clark, Martin, Marshall, Davis and Sharon Goodman. Clark is expected to be the first pick in the WNBA draft. We hope their farewell party is after winning a national title.

But we have no doubt Bluder’s program will continue to put an exciting and winning brand of basketball on the floor at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which will again be jammed with fans next season.

But this team is special. It’s among the greatest we’ve ever seen at Iowa. Perhaps the greatest, but certainly the most beloved. Go Hawks!

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com