Caitlin Clark spent the last four years at Iowa but she wanted to play for UConn during the recruiting process. Head coach Geno Auriemma never called.
The snub still bothers her to this day.
A win over LSU on Monday night sets up a revenge game in the Final Four. Clark gets her chance to prove to the Huskies’ head coach why he should have extended an offer, even though he probably recognizes that he missed on the former five-star recruit by now. She is literally the greatest scorer of all-time.
Caitlin Clark, the fourth-ranked prospect in the Class of 2020, was heavily-recruited by Iowa, Notre Dame, Iowa State, Texas, Oregon, Duke, Florida, Drake and Oregon State. The Hawkeyes ultimately received her commitment over the Cyclones and Fighting Irish. It changed their program forever.
They are the No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament and will play for a second-straight national title appearance against No. 3 seed UConn on Friday night. Clark, who always plays with a chip on her shoulder and never settles for anything less than a win, is going to be especially motivated.
UConn snubbed Caitlin Clark!
Auriemma’s program won national championships in 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. It was the coolest, most dominant school in the country and that doesn’t even count the run from 2000 to 2004, when Clark was not even born to the age of two.
She, like many (if not most) young girls who watched college hoops growing up, aspired to play for Connecticut. The Huskies never showed much interest and it sticks with Clark to this day.
Honestly, it was more I wanted them to recruit me to say I got recruited. I loved UConn. I think they’re the coolest place on Earth, and I wanted to say I got recruited by them. They called my AAU coach a few times, but they never talked to my family and never talked to me.
— Caitlin Clark, via ESPN
Wright Thompson, one of the greatest writers of all-time, profiled Iowa’s superstar shooter ahead of March Madness. He talked to her Dowling Catholic High School coach, Kristin Meyer, who explained that Clark’s body language was something that they would often work on after practice. Perhaps it was what led UConn to look past her. We don’t know.
Letters from college coaches stacked up at [Clark’s] house in those days. Her parents kept them from her until late in the process, trying instinctively to protect as much of her childhood as they could. I think they knew even then. Her dream school was, like everyone else, UConn. She was growing up and learning for the first time about being watched, about reputation. A lot of college coaches watched the same body language sequences Meyer did. Most didn’t mind. Dowling’s open gyms filled with the best of the best coaches in the country. One absence was conspicuous, though.
“Geno never came,” Meyer said.
— Wright Thompson, ESPN
Now, five years later, the man who “never came” will be tasked with coaching against the woman he passed over. Auriemma and the Huskies — just like every other team in the country — would have a hard time stopping Caitlin Clark from taking over regardless of her mentality. The lack of recruitment will only give her an extra edge. That’s dangerous!