Caitlin Clark Sends Heartfelt Message After First Preseason Game

On Sunday, Caitlin Clark made a memorable trek back to the site of her rise to fame as a collegian--Carver-Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa, where she had set the NCAA scoring record over four seasons with the Hawkeyes, scoring 3,951 points, earning four straight All-American honors and two national player of the year awards.

Her current team, the Indiana Fever, drubbed the Brazilian national team, 108-44, in a preseason outing, Clark's first of the year. She scored 16 points in 19 minutes, making six out of her 10 field-goal attempts and going 4-for-6 from the 3-point line, including one 35-footer reminscent of her Iowa heyday--a shot made steps behind the logo on the arena floor.

After the game, Clark wanted to address the fans who came out in force to support her, and also the Indiana Fever teammates who bolstered her throughout an emotional trip. 

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22)

© Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Writing on X, Clark said, "What a day in Iowa City. Can’t say thank you enough to everyone who made it special for myself, but also my teammates… FEV SHOWWW."

Clark had addressed the emotion of retuning home for this one, with a Fever team that rallied to finish .500 last year and earn a playoff spot, but that has been much improved following a busy offseason. 

“I didn’t expect anything else,” Clark said. “That’s exactly what I would have expected from them. And once I leave college, I’m still going to be a Hawkeye. I really appreciate their support, and I’m sure they’ve come to love a lot of my teammates.”