johnmac

Caitlin Clark scored 30 points in the University of Iowa’s loss to the University of South Carolina in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. Photo courtesy of John Mac/Creative Commons.

The University of Iowa women’s basketball team made the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive year, falling to South Carolina 87-75 on April 7. Their run through the tournament, powered by star player Caitlin Clark made waves throughout Iowa — and, at Luther.

The Hawkeyes have drawn a lot of attention and support from students on campus who gathered to watch the team compete. For Luther students — especially those who cheer on Hawkeye athletics — college sports are the focal point of fandom in a state without any professional sports teams. Maci Doty (‘26) has been a Hawkeye fan her entire life, and she was able to watch and enjoy the Hawks compete in the Final Four.

“It’s been so amazing to be from Iowa and see my little state become so famous,” Doty said. “I remember watching when Megan Gustafson had a huge impact on the game and then Caitlin Clark came along and changed the game for the whole country.”

Doty also works at local Decorah sports bar T-Bocks, and saw the impact Iowa and other NCAA teams had on basketball and women’s sports firsthand.

“I always hear people talk about how they were never into women’s basketball until this year,” Doty said. “It’s good to finally see women in sports get the recognition they have always deserved.”

The Hawkeyes even earned support from students who are not from Iowa and never previously associated with the Hawkeyes. Cristian Chavez (‘24) has been on Luther’s campus for five years, and he believes his passion for the game and women’s sports has been propelled by Clark and the Hawkeyes.

“The hype around Caitlin Clark was growing so fast so this year I was looking forward to it,” Chavez said. “Living in Iowa didn’t make me watch [the Final Four] but it did make me proud that I go to a school in Iowa and [that the Hawkeyes were] doing well.”

Although the Iowa Women’s team fell in the Championship game in consecutive seasons, their historic run has impacted the game forever. On the stats sheet Clark is one of the best to ever do it, and fans on Luther’s campus will always remember the efforts of her and her teammates.