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Iowa Coach Jan Jensen Declares Hawkeyes Have Another WNBA Team After Kate Martin Pick

Iowa Hawkeyes coach Jan Jensen is excited about having a third WNBA franchise to cheer for after Kate Martin was picked by the Golden State Valkyries.

Grant Young

Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen speaks with reporters during the team’s media day Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen speaks with reporters during the team’s media day Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest story to emerge from the Golden State Valkyries WNBA Expansion Draft that occurred on December 6 was that the Aces didn't protect former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar and Las Vegas Aces standout Kate Martin, and the Valkyries selected her to be part of their inaugural roster.

During Martin's interview with ESPN after the 11 Valkyries picks were announced, she discussed playing for Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase (who was an assistant coach for the Aces last season) once again.

"I mean, Coach Nakase is somebody you're going to want to run through a brick wall for," Martin said. "She's a truth teller, she's gonna be honest with you. But she matches that with love and support 100%. So those are the kind of coaches that you just want to give your all for."

Nakase isn't the only one of Martin's former coaches who is surely excited about the Valkyries' decision to select her. Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Jan Jensen (who was an assistant coach under Lisa Bluder during Martin's tenure there) made a heartfelt X post after the announcement was made.

"Hey, Hawk Fans…we got another @wnba [team] to cheer for!😀 Congrats, @kate_martin22
New team… new dream!
We’re so happy for you & proud of you! Go Golden State Valkyries!👊🏼 Go Kate!🙌🏻😊," she wrote.

Last season, two of the three Hawkeyes basketball alumni that are currently in the WNBA (Martin and Megan Gustafson) both played for the Aces, while the third was Caitlin Clark with the Indiana Fever.

Now Jensen and the Hawkeyes fanbase has a third WNBA team to cheer on.

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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