I’m sure by now many people know that Iowa Women’s Basketball was at the NCAA National Championship yesterday, and sadly, they lost a tough battle against LSU. However, this was their first appearance in the title game and it was no small feat. Iowa City was buzzing with excitement over how far they were able to get this year. Being in the city yesterday was thrilling, especially walking past the bars filled with people watching the game. But the biggest crowd was at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where they hosted a watch party. It was so inspiring to see everyone come together in support of the team, especially since women’s sports have often been looked down on. But it felt as important as any men’s game (as it should’ve) and it was electric inside the arena. The fans at Iowa definitely know how to have a good time. 

A really fun thing about women’s basketball at Iowa is that admission is free for students! Whereas football and men’s basketball require paid student tickets, you can walk in with your student ID at the women’s games and don’t have to pay anything (unless you want some of that famous Carver-Hawkeye Arena ice cream). And now, with Iowa and Caitlin Clark single-handedly increasing ratings for the NCAA women’s championship, we can assume that from now on the arena will be packed with excited fans. One thing is for sure: this team has brought more attention to the sport, and with Clark having at least another year with the program, everyone is looking forward to what they can do next year.