One of the things I love about being a student at the University of Iowa is getting to experience major sporting events right on campus. Recently, I had the opportunity to attend ESPN’s College GameDay and watch the introduction of Iowa’s women’s basketball team on a special Caitlin Clark court in the middle of campus. As a Sports and Recreation Management major, these experiences were exciting not only as a sports fan but also as someone hoping to build a career in the sports industry.
I wanted to take you through my experience with ESPN College GameDay, the drop of the CC 1s, and the introduction of the 2026-2027 Iowa Women’s Basketball Team! Recently, Iowa City was especially busy with ESPN’s College GameDay coming to town and the excitement surrounding Caitlin Clark’s signature shoe release. While both events were exciting to experience, they also made everyday student life a little more chaotic.
When I found out College GameDay was coming to Iowa, I knew I wanted to experience it in person. That meant getting in line at 5 AM, which is definitely not how I normally spend my mornings.
One of the biggest highlights was getting to see Caitlin Clark in person when she returned to Iowa as College GameDay’s guest picker. Although I was farther back in the crowd, I still had a pretty good view of her. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures, but seeing her in person was still exciting.
Watching College GameDay on television is one thing, but actually being there is completely different. Between the excitement surrounding Caitlin Clark’s appearance and all the Hawkeye fans coming together, the early morning was worth it.
Another memorable experience was attending the introduction of Iowa’s women’s basketball team on the special Caitlin Clark court set up in the middle of campus.
With all the attention surrounding Clark’s signature shoe release, it was exciting to see the current women’s basketball team getting its own moment in the spotlight.
Unlike College GameDay, where I was farther back in the crowd, I was able to get right up close to the women’s basketball team. I even got to high-five every single player, along with the coaches and support staff, as they walked by. That was definitely one of my favorite moments from the event.
As someone who enjoys basketball, getting to interact with the entire team was an experience I won’t forget. It’s not every day that you get to be that close to your university’s athletes, especially outside of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
While having a basketball court in the middle of campus was exciting, it also made getting to class a little more challenging.
The sidewalks were packed with people, and I found myself having to take different routes just to get where I needed to go. As someone who already spends a decent amount of time walking between classes, the extra traffic definitely wasn’t ideal.
It was one of those moments where I was excited about what was happening on campus but also just wanted to get to class on time.
As a Sports and Recreation Management major, these events gave me an opportunity to experience concepts we discuss in class, including sports marketing, event management, and fan engagement.
College GameDay demonstrated how sports media can bring fans together, while Caitlin Clark’s shoe release and the women’s basketball introduction showed how sporting events can create excitement throughout a community.
Getting to high-five the players, coaches, and support staff was also a reminder of how important personal interactions are in sports. Something as simple as a high-five can create a memorable connection between a team and its fans.
Even with the early morning and unexpected detours, I’m glad I got to experience everything firsthand.
These are the kinds of moments that make attending Iowa memorable. Sometimes being a Hawkeye means waking up at 5 AM for College GameDay, and other times it means finding a different route to class because a basketball court has taken over campus.
