Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark couldn’t help but be emotional as she shared her farewell to the place she called home over the past four years.
As the Hawkeyes move on to the Sweet 16, Clark also played her final home game at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa. With that said, she made sure to send one final message to the venue before they depart.
Caitlin Clark’s Farewell Message to Iowa Hawkeyes’ Arena
The Hawkeyes had the opportunity to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament by virtue of being the top seed, playing the Holy Cross Crusaders in the opener and the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Round of 32. Now that they are heading to the Sweet 16, though, their home tour is over since the matches for the round are played in Albany.
On Instagram, Clark was a bit emotional as she bid farewell to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. She emphasized that it will always be her favorite arena, adding that she will never forget all the memories she created there.
“Goodbye to my forever favorite arena. The countless memories I have in this place will be cherished forever. see you in Albany hawk fans,” Clark wrote along with several photos of her from their showdown with West Virginia–her final home match.
Sure enough, though, Clark couldn’t have played her final game there any better. They took down the Mountaineers in a tightly-contested affair, with Clark herself leading the way with 32 points, eight rebounds and three assists.
Even better, the Hawkeyes got the win and helped Clark finish on a high note at home.
After the contest, Clark was also appreciative of the supporters that went there to watch her and the team, waving to the crowd and showing love to the fans.
“I think I could probably talk about them for a really long time. I think more than anything it’s just like thank you. I’m very grateful that I got to play in an environment that supports women’s athletics the way that they do, not only women’s basketball — and to be honest, they’ve been doing this before I ever stepped on campus. Maybe it wasn’t quite at the magnitude it is now, but these people and these fans have showed up, and they’ll continue to show up,” Clark said of the fans, via On3 Sports.
“They understand how good our sport is. They understand how good the sport is going. But they’ve shared in a lot of really special memories for myself in a journey that I’ve changed a lot as a person and as a basketball player over the course of my last four years, and they’ve been a big part of that too.”
Caitlin Clark’s Historic Run With Iowa Hawkeyes
Sure enough, Caitlin Clark left a lasting legacy in the Carver-Hawkeye Arena, something that will never be forgotten in the history of college basketball and women’s sports in general.
As those who have faithfully followed Clark, especially this 2023-24, it is the Iowa Hawkeyes’ arena that became witness to her greatness. When she broke the women’s all-time scoring record held by Kelsey Plum last February, it was right on their home floor.
And then as her quest continued and she surpassed Pete Maravich’s record to become the top-scorer in both the men’s and women’s division, she also did it in Iowa in front of all the fans.
Indeed, whenever Clark’s accomplishments are talked about, one will always mention the Hawkeyes and their arena with it.
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