Caitlin Clark’s final NCAA Tournament will hopefully be one to remember. But as she reflects on her sensational college basketball career, she can’t help but remember getting turned down by UConn.
UConn is the gold standard of women’s college basketball. Head coach Geno Auriemma has won 11 national titles with the Huskies, producing dozens of WNBA players along the way.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Clark wanted to play for UConn when she was in high school.
Getting recruited by UConn means your a top player in the country. So when Clark never heard from the Huskies, it felt like a slap in the face.
“Honestly, it was more I wanted them to recruit me to say I got recruited,” Clark told ESPN. “I loved UConn. I think they’re the coolest place on Earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me.”
Programs like Iowa State, Texas, Oregon and Oregon State recruited Clark when she was still in high school. But it was Iowa and Notre Dame who ended up as finalists.
Want to watch Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament? Fubo has you covered with a seven-day free trial.
Clark wound up having a last-minute change of heart. After originally committing to Notre Dame, she flipped her commitment to Iowa and the rest is history.
“I’m 17 years old and I’m sitting in my room and I’m sweating my a** off,” said Clark. “I’m about to call (Muffet McGraw). She is an intimidating individual. She was really understanding. She kinda knew. She was great. Then I called Coach (Lisa) Bluder.”
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) in action against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Clark and the Hawkeyes have a chance to meet UConn, but it would have to be in the Final Four. Iowa is the No. 1 seed in the Albany 2 region while UConn is the No. 3 seed in the Portland 3 region.
The Huskies will likely have to get past No. 2 seed Ohio State and then No. 1 seed USC to potentially meet Iowa in the Final Four.
Clark and the Hawkeyes, meanwhile, have their sights set on winning the national title after falling short a year ago. Iowa begins tournament play this Saturday, Mar. 23 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
Can’t get enough March Madness coverage? Athlon Sports has you covered. Check out our 2024 March Madness page for predictions, insight and analysis to help you fill out your 2024 NCAA Tournament bracket.
In the meantime, here are out latest March Madness stories:
News
Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s Secret Involvement in the Diddy Scandal – Shocking Allegations Revealed!
Beyoncé & Jay-Z’s Secret Involvement in the Diddy Scandal – Shocking Allegations Revealed! . . Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s attorney slams Piers Morgan over airing P Diddy comparisons in interview * ‘There’s rumors and then there’s nonsense and this is one…
Kanye REVEALS Details About Diddy’s TAPES Of Politicians *IN BED*, Secret Hollywood Elites
Kanye REVEALS Details About Diddy’s TAPES Of Politicians *IN BED*, Secret Hollywood Elites. . . Kanye West shed light on Diddy’s immoral behavior in video discovered from deleted Drink Champs interview Sean Combs is facing lawsuits over sexual misconduct…
Brittney Griner wants to show doubters what’s under her pants and insists she’s a woman
Brittney Griner has boldly confronted her critics with a powerful message of self-assurance and defiance. In a recent statement, she challenged those who question her identity and strength, declaring, “Come and I’ll show you. I’m a woman.” With this assertive…
VIDEO: Caitlin Clark making a fanstatic assist while Dallas Wings defender commit 4 fouls! This is UNREAL
This assist is UNREAL! Brilliant Caitlin Clarke is absolutely brilliant! CC is a player it was great seeing women’s basketball, I only hope that next year the players play with respect and honesty towards the rookies. The fans deserve better…
Hurricane Milton live updates: More than 2 million without power as Hurricane Milton slams Florida, causes deaths and flooding
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Milton plowed into Florida as a Category 3 storm Wednesday, bringing misery to a coast still ravaged by Helene, pounding cities with winds of over 100 mph (160 kph) after producing a barrage of tornadoes, but sparing…
Dijonai Carrington WRECKED online for sideline Blowup before getting BOOTED from the WNBA Playoffs
Dijonai Carrington WRECKED online for sideline Blowup before getting BOOTED from the WNBA Playoffs! . . Alyssa Thomas and DiJonai Carrington appeared frustrated with each other during a Connecticut Sun timeout huddle during their WNBA Semifinals loss. Oct 8, 2024;…
End of content
No more pages to load