Among a sold-out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena are some notable faces, both locally and nationally, in attendance for the Iowa-USC matchup and Caitlin Clark’s jersey retirement on Sunday
Most notably, of course, is Caitlin Clark, seated in press row with former Hawkeye hooper and current Butler assistant Connor McCaffery. Clark’s jersey is to rise to the rafters after the game.
And her former teammates in Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin, and Monika Czinano occupy the left baseline of the court they once played on. Martin was picked by the WNBA’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, off the Las Vegas Aces’ roster in the league’s expansion draft in December. Marshall attends graduate school at North Carolina, and Czinano announced her retirement from basketball to become a full-time doctor in November.
Down the row is former Iowa head coach and soon-to-be Hall of Famer Lisa Bluder, who’s been all smiles since making her way to the court. She spent 24 years leading this Hawkeye squad and has accomplished a number of feats: three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, two-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year, 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, and two Final Four appearances — both with Clark.
She retired as the all-time winningest coach in Iowa history with 396 wins.
To Bluder’s left is newly hired Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White. The Fever parted ways with former head coach Christie Sides on Oct. 27 and quickly pivoted to White by Nov. 1. After Indiana’s recent moves in free agency, the first-year head coach will have her eyes set on a WNBA title with Clark leading the charge.
Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White in the building! @KCCINews @IndianaFever @RyanAStevens pic.twitter.com/25OavxILZk
— Jeff Dubrof KCCI (@JeffDubrofKCCI) February 2, 2025
To Bluder’s right is American television host, writer, and producer David Letterman. He spent 33 years airing shows such as “Late Night with David Letterman” with NBC and eventually switched to “Late Show with David Letterman” in CBS before its finale in 2015. Letterman befriended Bluder at an Indiana Fever game this past season.
David Letterman in the house at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for @CaitlinClark22‘s jersey retirement 🙌 pic.twitter.com/XxCNIYNbW6
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 2, 2025
Letterman’s appearance in Iowa City could set off a signal that Clark might be featured in the next season of his Netflix show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.”