Tag: Iowa women’s basketball

Caitlin Clark shocked Serena Williams never won ESPY for best record-breaking performance

Caitlin Clark said it’s crazy Serena Williams never won the ESPY for best record-breaking performance.

Caitlin Clark won a pair of ESPYs on Thursday night.

Like a number of her collegiate honors, it wasn’t the first time she had captured one of the ESPY awards. Clark was honored as the best women’s college athlete, topping LSU gymnastics star Haleigh Bryant, Wisconsin volleyball star Sarah Franklin and Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane for the award.

Clark had won the ESPY for best women’s college athlete in 2023 as well.

But, Clark made some ESPYs history on Thursday night. With her ESPYs win for best record-breaking performance, Clark became the first woman to capture the award.

On Friday, Clark and the Indiana Fever were gearing up to play host to the Phoenix Mercury later that night. In the pregame press conference, Clark was asked what it meant to be recognized as the first woman to capture the best record-breaking performance ESPY.

Clark was certainly honored, but she also couldn’t believe she was the first woman to win the award. And she thinks she probably shouldn’t have been either.

“Yeah, I didn’t know that until my little brother sent it to me this morning. I think it’s super cool. I think it probably shouldn’t have been the first woman to ever win that award in my eyes just because I grew up supporting so many different female athletes that I idolized and I loved. The amount of records that I saw people break and win. Like, to me, how did Serena Williams never win that award?

“That’s crazy just thinking about things like that, but, I mean, hopefully it’s the start to women getting more recognition and their accomplishments being recognized a little bit more. Obviously, it’s cool. But yeah, it’s not something you would have guessed honestly. But, for me, it’s just something I’m really grateful for,” Clark said.

The fact that Clark is the first woman to win the award is sort of crazy when you think about.

Serena Williams is arguably the greatest women’s athlete of all time. During her dominance of women’s tennis, Williams racked up 23 Grand Slam singles titles.

There’s been plenty of other great female athletes since the ESPYs were introduced in 1993, too.

It’s great to see Clark pay homage to one of the other all-time great female athletes in Serena Williams. As a lifetime supporter of women’s athletics, it’s not surprising in the least from Clark.

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Caitlin Clark revisits decision to forego extra year of eligibility at Iowa

Caitlin Clark shared more thoughts on why it was the right time to move on from Iowa and instead leap to the WNBA.

Though many Iowa fans were holding out hope that Caitlin Clark would make use of her extra year of eligibility, ultimately, Clark felt like the timing was right to move on to her next basketball chapter.

Clark chose to forego her extra year of eligibility granted courtesy of the COVID waiver in favor of heading to the WNBA where she became the No. 1 overall draft pick to the Indiana Fever.

In an interview with “The Wake Up Call with KB & Anthony” on 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, Clark shared some more insight into her decision-making process to jump into the WNBA.

Clark said it was exciting when the Fever officially landed the No. 1 overall draft pick.

“I was definitely excited. They were probably up there with some of the top organizations and franchises that I would have wanted to go to,” Clark said.

Asked if the Fever landing that No. 1 overall pick impacted her decision to move on from Iowa, Clark said that it did.

“For sure, yeah. Being able to come to a place that really values women’s basketball, but also is in the Midwest and close to where I’m from, it just kind of makes everything a little bit easier for me.

“And then obviously, I really wanted to play with Aliyah. That doesn’t hurt either. And there’s just great talent on this team. But that wasn’t obviously the only reason I left. At the same time, it was time for me to end my college career. There was really nothing left for me to do at the University of Iowa. I’m not sure it could have gotten any better for us. I think it could have only gone down. It seemed like kind of all the stars aligned,” Clark said.

After back-to-back runs to the national championship game and back-to-back seasons sweeping the National Player of the Year awards, it makes sense why Clark felt the timing was right to make the move to the WNBA.

Clark and Aliyah Boston are morphing into one of the best young duos in the WNBA.

Clark is averaging 16.7 points, 7.6 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in her rookie season, while shooting 39.8% from the field, 34.2% from 3-point range and 89.0% from the free throw line.

Boston is averaging 13.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

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Addie Deal inside top 15 of On3’s first-ever HER 2025 women’s basketball recruiting rankings

Iowa commit Addie Deal is ranked inside the top 15 in the 2025 class per On3.

Momentum for the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ women’s basketball program looks like it’s set to continue well on into the future.

That’s thanks to what Iowa already has on campus, a pair of great recruiting classes that are on their way to Iowa City and the Hawkeyes’ success in the transfer portal with coveted former Villanova guard Lucy Olsen.

One of the prized commits in the class ahead is 2025 guard Addie Deal out of Mater Dei Catholic High School in California. The 6-foot guard announced her commitment to the Hawkeyes on March 12.

Then, after former head coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement, Deal reaffirmed her commitment to new head coach Jan Jensen and the Hawkeyes.

As the interest and popularity in women’s college basketball continues to soar, it’s also led to increased analysis, coverage and evaluations in the sport. That’s great for high school and women’s college basketball.

Recently, On3 unveiled its first-ever women’s basketball recruiting rankings. The On3 HER 2025 rankings feature Iowa commit Addie Deal.

Deal checks in as the nation’s No. 14 player nationally, as the No. 5 shooting guard and as the No. 2 player from the state of California.

“I’ve been an Iowa fan long before the notoriety. Before I had the offer, I was reaching out to my coaches and I was like, ‘Hey the University of Iowa, I’d really love to go there and talk to the coaches.’ I was super interested in that school. So my coaches here were able to help me.

“I just think it’s amazing how far they’ve come. It’s definitely nationwide now. Everyone knows Caitlin Clark. Everyone knows Iowa women’s basketball. So it’s been amazing to see them kind of be the ones leading the charge for women’s basketball all around. It’s so cool that I’ve got to see them before, them during and them still rising up,” Deal told Hawk Central when she committed.

When Deal visited Iowa City, she was swept away by the Hawkeye culture.

“The first time I visited, the girls were there. It felt like family immediately. They really just took care of me and were so kind and nice. That was the first visit I had been on where the girls were actually there. At first I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so amazing.’ And then when I went to other schools and got to know the other people, it really showed that Iowa’s culture was just top of the line,” Deal said of Iowa.

Deal is joined in Iowa’s 2025 recruiting class by Davenport North guard Journey Houston. Houston is rated as the No. 74 player nationally per ESPN.

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Jan Jensen announces pair of assistant coach hires

Jan Jensen announced the addition of two new staff members to Iowa women’s basketball.

Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen announced a pair of additions to her Hawkeye staff on Wednesday.

Randi Henderson and Sean Sullivan have both been hired as new staff members for Iowa women’s basketball. Henderson will serve as an assistant coach while Sullivan will serve as an assistant coach and general manager. Both are UI graduates.

Henderson spent the last seven seasons at WashU in St. Louis as the head women’s basketball coach. Henderson’s teams went 103-54 (.656) with four NCAA Tournament appearances. She guided the Bears to four top three finishes in the University Athletic Association in seven seasons.

WashU and the Bears won the UAA title during the 2018-19 season after posting a 13-1 conference record. Henderson earned Central Region Coach of the Year honors from D3hoops.com for her efforts. She and her staff were also named the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year as well.

Prior to her time at WashU, Henderson spent two years as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Charlotte. Henderson also served as the head coach at Coe College (2006-15) and one season at University of Minnesota-Morris (2005-06).

Henderson was a three-year starter and team captain during her playing career with the Hawkeyes. She helped lead Iowa to a pair of NCAA Tournaments (1998, 2001) and to the 2001 Big Ten Tournament championship.

Sullivan arrives in Iowa City after spending time with North Carolina. In the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, Sullivan served as the director of player personnel, development, and recruiting operations at North Carolina. Then, in the summer of 2023, Sullivan added the title of assistant coach.

Prior to UNC, Sullivan was the director of video for the women’s basketball program at Pitt for two seasons and director of scouting and digital technology with Penn State.

As an undergraduate at Iowa, Sullivan spent four years as a women’s basketball manager, then became the team’s video coordinator. He also spent a summer as video coordinator for USA Basketball, where he was part of the women’s squad that won silver at the 2015 Pan Am Games.

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Caitlin Clark captures second straight Honda Cup Award

Caitlin Clark captured her second straight Honda Cup Award, joining an illustrious group of women’s collegiate athletes.

Caitlin Clark did some magical things with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

During her time in Iowa City, Clark became the Division I career points record holder. Clark also tallied the most points in a single women’s college basketball season, averaged the most career points per game, knocked down the most 3-pointers in a singular season, holds the record for the most career 3-pointers in women’s college basketball history and is the all-time women’s NCAA Tournament career points scored leader.

The list goes on from there.

Clark put Iowa women’s basketball on the map like it’s never been before. Thanks to Clark’s superstardom, the Hawkeye pipeline is alive and rolling well into the future.

After being recognized as the consensus National Player of the Year in women’s college basketball for a second straight season, Clark just captured the Honda Cup Award for a second straight year.

By capturing the 2024 Honda Cup Award, Clark joins Maya Moore (2010, 2011), Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984) and Rachel Garcia (2019, 2021) as the only women’s athletes to win back-to-back Honda Cup Awards.

Here’s a look at Clark being presented with and accepting the award courtesy of CBS Sports’ “We Need To Talk.”

“Yeah, I think it’s pretty special. I know how important this award is and how many great people have come before me like you mentioned. Maya Moore was my idol growing up, so now to be on the same list as her, it’s pretty absolutely incredible.

“But I was very fortunate in my college career. Obviously, my coaches are there tonight accepting on my behalf. It doesn’t happen without them, those two there and the rest of our coaching staff. But also the teammates I had throughout the years. They kind of let me be myself, so I wouldn’t have got to the point I got to if it wasn’t for them. It’s just really special. This award definitely means a lot. It’s a first-class award. And then, congratulations to all of you, especially the finalists. I’m big fans of all of yours. I watch as much women’s sports, just as much as anybody, so congratulations,” Clark said in accepting the award.

The Honda Cup Award has been presented annually by the CWSA for the past 48 years to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA- sanctioned sports and signifies “the best of the best in collegiate athletics.”

Established in 1976, the CWSA honors the nation’s top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service.

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Former Iowa guard Molly Davis joining Evansville staff as graduate assistant

Molly Davis is headed to Evansville as a graduate assistant.

Former Iowa guard Molly Davis’ next chapter is in Evansville, Ind.

After spending her final two collegiate seasons with the Hawkeyes, Davis is off to Evansville where she joins head coach Robyn Scherr-Wells’ staff as a graduate assistant.

“I have had the pleasure of watching Molly play basketball since she was a freshman in high school. The thing that has always stood out to me about Molly is the joy that she plays with. Molly loves the game. When her coaches at Iowa reached out to me about Molly’s interest in our graduate assistant position, I knew right away she would be a great fit. She has a high basketball IQ and is a hard worker.

“Molly is a winner and has been a part of many successful teams. She will be a tremendous asset to our players in helping them understand all of the things that go into building a championship program. She has a bright future in coaching and I am excited for the opportunity to mentor her in her first coaching role!” Scherr-Wells said in Evansville’s announcement.

Davis was a key piece on Iowa’s past two teams that advanced to the Final Four and national championship games. The 5-foot-7 guard from Midland, Mich., averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game last season while shooting 53.9% from the field, 40.7% from 3-point range and 85.7% from the charity stripe.

Davis started 27 games last season for the Hawkeyes and appeared in 31, but she sustained a knee injury that ultimately ended her 2023-24 season.

Then-head Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder commented on Davis’ absence before the national championship game against South Carolina.

“I would love for Molly to have that opportunity. She deserves it. My heart aches for that kid. Basketball is so important to her, and to have this happen to her. Honestly, we thought she was going to be back. We thought she was going to be back a couple weeks ago.

“For her to be able to stay, not bring any added attention to herself, like, oh, woe is me, it’s amazing how she’s handled this. I know how much it’s hurting her,” Bluder said.

Davis is sure to bring the type of leadership she brought to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to Evansville as she begins the first portion of her coaching career.

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Iowa women’s basketball target narrows list, eliminates Hawkeyes

Four-star guard Bryn Martin eliminated the Hawkeyes from college consideration.

One of the Iowa Hawkeyes‘ targets in the 2025 recruiting class narrowed her list recently.

Bryn Martin, a 6-foot guard out of Springboro High School in Ohio, trimmed her list of potential college landing spots to 10.

Though the Hawkeyes had offered all the way back on June 19, 2022, Iowa didn’t make the cut in Martin’s final top 10.

Instead, Martin’s final 10 features Clemson, Dayton, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Washington and West Virginia.

Martin is rated as a four-star guard and as the No. 61 player in the 2025 class per ESPN’s recruiting rankings.

In its 2025 class, Iowa currently has commitments from five-star guard Addison Deal out of Mater Dei High School in California and four-star guard Journey Houston out of Davenport North High School.

Deal is ranked as the No. 22 player nationally, while Houston checks in as the No. 74 player nationally per ESPN.

“We’ve got a great start with our fans, our super fans, people who are supporting the NIL, open-minded, because the game is going to change, and it’s going to change a lot, athletics overall.

“So I’m really proud of getting to be a part of it. I’m just excited about the changes this year and going through a reset, and now we say we’re going to do it the old-fashioned way. Now we don’t have someone that shoots from the parking lot. They actually shoot from the three-point line. We’re going to go figure that out all over again,” Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen said of leading the Hawkeyes following its recent stretch of greatness.

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Iowa women’s basketball offers rising class of 2028 forward Sydney Douglas

Sydney Douglas, a talented freshman-forward-to-be from California, is Jan Jensen’s first-ever offer as Hawkeye head coach.

After just a pair of weeks on the job, new Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen made her first scholarship offer as the head Hawkeye.

Jensen and Iowa offered talented class of 2028 forward Sydney Douglas out of Los Angeles, Calif.

Just a freshman this coming fall, the 6-foot-6 forward looks like an obvious elite talent moving forward. Douglas’ combination of size, handles, shooting touch, and rim protection is truly unique. With the proper coaching and development, she should only keep getting better and better.

Douglas plays for the Cal Stars EYBL squad and she also just took part in the USA Basketball U17 National Team Trials.

“After a great conversation with Coach Jensen, I am blessed to receive an offer from Iowa women’s basketball! I am honored to be your first offer as a head coach. Thank you so much for believing in me!” Douglas wrote on X.

Here’s a look at some of Douglas’ recent highlights.

ProspectsNation.com’s was out at the USA Basketball U17 National Team Trials. ProspectsNation.com managing editor Chris Hansen included Douglas among his “Six In the Mix” from the USA Trials.

The knock on Douglas has been that she doesn’t want to mix it up inside even though she’s 6-foot-6.  Well she didn’t get that memo for the day.  She was versatile but was arguably the most physical inside presence across both of Friday’s sessions. – Hansen, ProspectsNation.com.

Douglas has plenty of time to figure all of that out. She will continue to get stronger and more polished.

Regardless of how this recruitment ultimately plays out, Douglas will always have a special distinction in Iowa City as the first-ever offer from new Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen.

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5-star Iowa women’s basketball target Brynn McGaughy commits to Washington

Best of luck, Brynn. Five-star target Brynn McGaughy chose to stay close to home, committing to Washington over Iowa.

Though Iowa was among the finalists, five-star forward Brynn McGaughy chose to commit to the Washington Huskies instead.

Rated as the No. 17 player in the 2025 class per ESPN, the 6-foot-3 forward chose Washington over fellow finalists Iowa, Connecticut, Duke, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, UCLA, Utah and USC.

Ultimately, McGaughy chose to stay home. A native of Colfax, Washington, McGaughy made SB Live’s Class 2B all-state Washington first team this past season. As a sophomore the year before, McGaughy led Colfax to a state championship while averaging 21.5 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

Though Iowa misses on adding McGaughy to its class, it’s another indication the West Coast is in play for the Hawkeyes.

The Hawkeyes already own a pledge in the 2025 class from five-star guard Addie Deal out of Mater Dei High School in California. Deal is the No. 12 player in the 2025 class per ESPN.

“We have a little bit bigger footprint. I think two things happened since the Megan Gustafson era. We got more on the national scene. Then, enter Caitlin and the expansion of the Big Ten.

“Now, the Big Ten is in a place where it doesn’t seem — if you’re leaving California, it doesn’t seem as far away anymore because, hey, it’s part of the Big Ten. We’ve been busting it in a lot of different ways the last five years. Let me tell you, Raina and Abby and Lisa, all of us, we just do what you must do if you want to chase greatness,” Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen said in her introductory press conference.

Iowa also has a commitment from four-star guard Journey Houston out of Davenport North High School in Iowa. The 5-foot-11 guard is the No. 50 player in the 2025 class per ESPN.

Iowa is also recruiting Houston’s teammate, Divine Bourrage. Bourrage is the No. 4 player in the 2025 class according to ESPN. The 5-foot-10 guard was recently named the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year.

The Hawkeyes are also in the mix for five-star guards Emilee Skinner and Jordan Speiser and center Layla Hays.

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Lisa Bluder, Jan Jensen comment on Iowa assistant coach Jenni Fitzgerald’s retirement

Coach Lisa Bluder and coach Jan Jensen commented on Jenni Fitzgerald’s retirement and her impact on the Hawkeyes.

One of the fixtures in Iowa City announced that she is stepping away from Iowa women’s basketball.

Iowa’s special assistant to the head coach, Jenni Fitzgerald, revealed that she is retiring after 24 seasons with the program. During her run with the Hawkeyes, Fitzgerald served four years as an associate head coach, 20 seasons as an assistant coach, and four seasons as an advisor.

Fitzgerald was a part of every staff former head coach Lisa Bluder put together in Iowa City. Prior to her stint with the Hawkeyes, Fitzgerald served alongside coach Bluder and current Iowa head coach Jan Jensen at Drake as well.

As the news broke, Bluder commented on Fitzgerald’s decision to retire.

“I have valued working alongside Jenni the past 32 years. She is an amazing strategist and coach, and I am thankful that I get to call her a friend for the rest of our lives!” Bluder said.

Coach Jensen took to X to comment on the big news.

“I’m beginning to think it’s me!” Jensen joked. “Seriously, no surprise. Jenni tried to head to the sun earlier, but we sweet talked her for a lil’ more time! What a ride! I love ya, Jenni! I was so blessed to play and coach with you. But, the biggest blessing is being best friends!”

Fitzgerald helped direct Iowa to 18 NCAA Tournaments, five Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights, two Final Fours and a pair of national championship game appearances.

The Hawkeyes also won five Big Ten Tournament championships, including each of the past three. Iowa also won two Big Ten regular season championships.

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