Kate Martin Couldn't Contain Her Glee Watching Former Iowa Team

Iowa Hawkeyes legend Kate Martin couldn't contain her happiness when watching her former team from court side.
Iowa’s Kate Martin, right, waves at the crowd during a celebration of the Iowa women’s basketball team Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa’s Kate Martin, right, waves at the crowd during a celebration of the Iowa women’s basketball team Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

It seems clear that the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball program builds and sustains a special bond between its players.

This was made apparent by the tons of content that stemmed from former Hawkeyes legends Kate Martin, Caitlin Clark, and Gabbie Marshall when they returned to their old stomping grounds for a reunion last month.

The first thing these Iowa legends did was spectate (and get involved, in Clark's case) at a Hawkeyes practice, as the team (which is now coached by Jan Jensen, who was a longtime assistant to Lisa Bluder) were gearing up for their 2024-25 season.

It seems that the one small snippet of their old team playing wasn't enough for both Martin and Marshall, as they were seen sitting courtside during the Hawkeyes' game against Virginia Tech in North Carolina on Sunday.

The Hawkeyes have had a lot smile about so far in the game, as they hold a 16-point lead over Virginia Tech heading into the fourth quarter.

And Martin made her excitement about the game very clear just a few minutes after it tipped off.

X user @ouatdemii posted a video of Martin grabbing Marshall (who is seated next to her) and seeming to shriek in glee as their former teammate Sydney Affolter checked into Sunday's game for the first time. The two women then appear to verbally cheer on and clap for Sydney.

Their teammate Caitlin Clark chose to attend the Indiana Pacers NBA game on Sunday instead of joining Martin and Marshall in North Carolina. But Clark will surely be attending at least one Iowa game later this year.


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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.