Closing A Chapter In Thᴇ History Of Iowa Women’s Βasketball – Let’s Hear The “Emotional” Sʜaring Of Οutstanᴅing Students: Caitlin Clark, Molly Daᴠis, Sʜaron Goodman, Kᴀte Marᴛin And Gabbie Μarshall.

The saga of Iowa women’s basketball has come to an end with the conclusion of a remarkable era.

Following Iowa’s defeat of 87-75 against South Carolina in the national championship earlier this month, the team bid farewell to its quintet of seniors — Molly Davis, Sharon Goodman, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, and Caitlin Clark — each of whom, in diverse roles, made significant contributions to the team.

“Always saying goodbye to your seniors is really tough, and every time you see a season end, it’s another chapter closed, and that’s tough,” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said in the press conference following the national championship.

All five took vastly different paths getting to this point, whether being one of the highest touted recruits in her class, having childhood aspirations to play for the Hawkeyes, or coming to Iowa City through the transfer portal.

Each player contributed valuable minutes for the Hawkeyes this season, with Clark, Marshall, and Martin starting in every game, Davis starting in 27, and Goodman starting eight. Even though some may have spent more time with each other on the court than others, all five bonded to the fact that this would be their last season playing collegiate basketball.

“It’s the love that we have for one another,” Martin said. “We know each other like the backs of our hands [because] we spent a lot of time together and care for one another.”

Coming into this year knowing it would be their last at Iowa, Marshall and Martin said it was their goal to spend as much time with their teammates as possible, and they succeeded. The team’s runs through the Big Ten and NCAA Tournament meant the Hawkeyes played the maximum number of games allocated.

“We’ve been together for so long through the ups and the downs and everything in between,” Marshall said. “We’ve done pretty much everything together for these last five years.”

As Hawkeye fans say goodbye to this year’s senior class, let’s recap each one’s career at Iowa and their futures outside of the program.

Caitlin Clark

Starting with the star of the bunch, Clark finishes her career as a Hawkeye as arguably the most successful Iowa women’s basketball player in the program’s 50-year history.

Clark’s achievements are nothing short of remarkable. She became the all-time leading scorer for both men’s and women’s this season with 3,951 points, became the only player in Division I history to lead the nation in both points and assists per game — doing it twice — and more recently set the NCAA Tournament three-point and scoring career record, just to name a few.

“[Caitlin] had a vision, she had a belief, and she brought us all with her,” Marshall said. “She got us all to buy in and believe that we can make it to the Final Four, and I think just doing that in back-to-back years just shows what belief in a team can do for you.”

Her impact on the community will be forever present due to the number of #22 jerseys that will be seen at all university sporting events.

“Caitlin’s done so many great things, and I think she’s handled the pressure so well,” guard Sydney Affolter said. “She’s left her legacy for sure, and I’ve just learned so much from her by watching her passion for the game.”

The IndianaFever selected Clark with the No. 1 pick in this year’s WNBA Draft, becoming the third athlete in program history to be picked in the first round and the ninth Iowa player to be drafted during Bluder’s tenure.

With Clark now turning pro, she’s bound to bring the spotlight and ratings that followed her during college. Since being drafted, the Fever now has the most televised games this upcoming season in the WNBA with 36, and Indiana’s average ticket price doubled from last season from $60 to $140, according to VividSeats.

“When you’re given an opportunity, women’s sports just kind of thrives, and I think that’s been the coolest thing for me on this journey,” Clark said.

“When I think about women’s basketball going forward, obviously it’s just going to continue to grow, whether it’s at the WNBA level, [or] at the college level.”

Sharon Goodman

Entering this past season, some didn’t expect it would be the last for center Sharon Goodman.

The Lime Springs, Iowa, native appeared in all 30 games as a freshman and then tore her ACL in practice prior to her second season and missed the entire year. She was granted a redshirt for her injury and played in 13 games in 2022-23.

After an up-and-down start to this season, Goodman was removed from the starting lineup in favor of Davis and saw limited minutes down the final stretch of Iowa’s games. Before Iowa’s senior day game against Ohio State, she announced she would not return to Iowa for a fourth season.

“I just made the best decision for me at this time,” Goodman said. “I’ve been very blessed with the past four years here, [and] I’m so thankful to have been here during this time.”

Rather than grow resentful for her lack of playing time, Goodman transitioned into more of a mentor role, becoming one of the most vocal leaders on the bench and cheering for her teammates whenever they made a big play.

Goodman was also recognized during the Final Four as a recipient of the Elite 90 award, which goes to the athlete — men’s or women’s — with the highest GPA. Upon graduation, she plans to attend nursing school.

“I know she’s going to make a really great nurse,” Clark said. “If anyone knows her, you know that’s the perfect job for her.”

Molly Davis

In her relatively short time at Iowa, Davis, or as she’s commonly referred to as ‘the headband,’ became a fan favorite for many Hawkeye fans.

The 5-foot-7 guard became a crucial piece for Iowa when she was plugged into the starting role, averaging 5.9 points and three assists per game. She was known for her crafty ball-handling skills and efficient shooting capabilities, which solidified her as a reliable scorer for the Hawkeyes’ high-powered offense.

Perhaps more importantly, Davis was known for her scrappy style of play despite being a shorter player.

“She looks like this quiet, nice person, but to me, she has a sneaky moxie about her,” Bluder said of Davis. “She has no fear.”

Davis transferred from Central Michigan following the 2021-22 season. In three years at Central Michigan, Davis made her mark on the program’s history by ranking seventh and 11th in career assists and points with 356 and 1,434, respectively.

“For Molly to come here and not be guaranteed anything — no starting position, no amount of playing time — [just] come here, accept her role, and do whatever it took for us to be better, that took a lot of courage,” Bluder said.

Unfortunately, Davis’ season was cut short after she suffered a right knee injury during Iowa’s final regular-season contest against Ohio State. But Davis checked into the national championship game with less than a minute left, where she received a standing ovation from the Hawkeye fans in Cleveland.

https://twitter.com/CooperAWorth/status/1777084857677390247/video/1

Davis will graduate this spring with a degree in exercise science.

Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall

Last but certainly not least, we have the super senior duo of Martin, “The Glue,” and Marshall.

Martin and Marshall end their careers having played the most games in Iowa women’s basketball history, with 163 and 166 games, respectively. The two, along with Clark, have started in nearly every game since the 2020-21 season. Since then, the duo had 274 combined starts for the Hawkeyes and 8,189 combined minutes on the court, helping Iowa amass a 109-30 record in the process.

Martin arrived on campus in the summer of 2018, and Marshall joined her a year later. Since then, the two have seen the popularity of the Iowa women’s team — and the sport in general — explode.

“[My six years] exceeded my expectations,” Martin said. “I had always dreamed of playing for Iowa, and all the championships we’ve won and the Final Fours we’ve been to are just really the cherry on top.”

Martin became the first Iowa women’s basketball player to have amassed over 900 points, 500+ rebounds, 400+ assists, 120+ steals, and 60+ blocks in a career. Marshall became the first player in program history to record 200 three-pointers and 200 steals in a career. They also became the 43rd and 44th Hawkeye women’s basketball players to record 1,000 career points.

Martin now hopes to make a WNBA roster, as the Las Vegas Aces selected her with the 18th overall pick. By her side for the special moment in Brooklyn, N.Y., was Marshall, who will attend the University of North Carolina to pursue her master’s in occupational therapy.

Despite all the on-court accomplishments, both players said they are most proud of the joy they brought Iowa fans during their careers and how they inspired people of all ages and backgrounds.

“I think our legacy is just kind of the joy that we brought to the state of Iowa and to the little boys and girls all across the country who watched us play,” Martin said. “I hope they just remember the love and the passion that we played with on the court.”