Caitlin Clark is the greatest shooter in women’s college basketball history and finished her four-year career at Iowa with an astonishing 3951 points. However, things were almost extremely different.
She nearly committed to Notre Dame.
Rather, Clark did commit to play for the Fighting Irish! The NCAA’s all-time leading scorer was actually going to play in South Bend — until she didn’t.
It is not a secret that Clark’s dream was to play for UConn. Geno Auriemma did not offer her a scholarship because he was already committed to Paige Bueckers. Thus, she was forced to pivot.
My family wanted me to go to Notre Dame. At the end of the day they were like, you make the decision for yourself. But it’s NOTRE DAME! ‘Rudy’ was one of my favorite movies. How could you not pick Notre Dame?
— Caitlin Clark, via ESPN in March
Even Clark’s former high school coach, Kristin Meyer, thought that her star player was headed to Indiana.
For a while I thought she was gonna end up at Notre Dame.
— Kristin Meyer, via ESPN in March
What we did not know until recently was that she actually gave a verbal commitment to Notre Dame at one point during her senior year of high school. Clark revealed the difficult decision to flip to Iowa during an interview on Omaha Productions’ new docuseries, Full Court Press.
It’s a lot of pressure having to choose and decide where you’re going to spend four years of your life.
We’re Catholic and every person, like, idolizes Notre Dame. Like, that’s just what you do.
I told Muffett McGraw, one of the greatest coaches of all-time, that I’m gonna play for her.
— Caitlin Clark
And then she changed her mind. Something didn’t feel quite right.
Clark had to have an uncomfortable conversation with a college basketball coaching legend after realizing that her in-state program was a better fit. It was stressful!
I just knew like — something wasn’t sitting right with me. So, I tell my parents and I’m like, “I think I’m gonna switch to Iowa.”
Which was hard, like, I was scared. I’m 17 years old and now I have to call Coach McGraw and tell her that I’m not coming.
I remember sitting in my bed and I’m like sweating. I’m like, “Oh, this is so bad.” But I really loved the idea of being close to home.
— Caitlin Clark
Although McGraw missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime superstar, Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder was the beneficiary. Clark’s decision to flip changed her program and her legacy forever!
I was at a restaurant eating with my husband. When [Caitlin Clark] called, I stepped outside to take the phone call. I tried to hold it down a little bit, but then I went back in and we ordered a bottle of champagne.
— Lisa Bluder
The rest is history. Quite literally.
Clark spent four years in Iowa City and surpassed legends like Sheryl Swoopes and Diana Taurasi as the biggest name in the history of the sport. She was later drafted No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft.
Iowa won three-straight Big Ten titles and went to back-to-back national championships. The Hawkeyes sold out nearly every game they played— including the most-attended women’s college basketball game of all-time at the football stadium.
Imagine if Caitlin Clark went to Notre Dame!