Back in May, I finally got to do something I’ll never forget — I got to see Caitlin Clark play in person! The Indiana Fever came to Iowa to take on the Brazilian National Team in an exhibition game, and it was such a fun day from start to finish.
I’ve been a Hawkeye my whole life, but somehow I never made it to a women’s basketball game at Carver while Caitlin was in college. So this felt extra special — like I was finally getting the chance I’d missed.
Well… after parking, which was absolutely crazy. But once we got inside, it was totally worth it.
First of all, Freddy. Oh my gosh — Freddy was AMAZING. He came right by our section and had us laughing so hard. I think I love him just as much as I love the game itself. 😂
Design by Katelyn Owen
This was the first Fever game of the season, so I wasn’t super familiar with the new team yet after the off season changes. But of course, all eyes were on Caitlin. She was clearly still dealing with her quad injury at the time so she spent a lot of time off to the side riding the bike. At one point, I actually walked right past her while she was on it (!!). I tried to play it cool, but inside I was definitely fangirling.
When she finally hit her first three, I turned and said, “It’s going to be a great season!” …which, yeah, maybe I jinxed a little too soon.
But the big moment came in the third quarter. Caitlin pulled up for this insanely long three — right behind her record marker on the court — and drilled it. The whole crowd went nuts, and Caitlin just kept pumping everyone up the entire commercial break. That’s what makes her so special — she brings so much joy to the game, and makes everyone in the building feel like they’re part of the moment with her.
Another highlight: all the current Iowa players were sitting right in front of us! When they went down to the court to take a picture during a break, Carver erupted in applause. Some past players and coaches were there too — it felt like a Hawkeye reunion.
The Brazilian team had their own loud cheering section right behind the bench, and honestly, I loved that. Plus, the Iowa crowd made sure to cheer for them at different points too. It just felt like one big celebration of women’s basketball.
Meanwhile, the girls in front of us left at halftime for a Carver cone and missed the entire third quarter… including Caitlin’s huge shot. I really hope that ice cream was worth it. 🍦
By the end of the game, I was just so happy we went. It was loud, fun, and honestly kind of surreal to see Caitlin play in person for the first time. I hope they make this a yearly thing — maybe even against another WNBA team to make it more competitive (extra fun if it’s one of the teams with a Hawkeye alum, like the Valkyries, Mystics, or Aces 👀).
Either way, I’d go again in a heartbeat. Such a fun day. 💛
