In the world of Iowa Hawkeyes basketball, one word can carry a whole lot of weight—especially if that word comes from Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever star, 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, and all-around basketball phenomenon recently broke her silence on Jan Jensen’s new role as the head coach of the Iowa women’s basketball team. Her comment? A one-word mic drop: “Facts.”
After Lisa Bluder, the legendary architect behind Iowa’s back-to-back NCAA championship appearances, retired last season, her longtime assistant, Jan Jensen, was handed the reins. This promotion was big, monumental even. And if the weight of leading the Hawkeyes after Bluder’s reign wasn’t heavy enough, the new head coach has her players—and a few alums, like Clark—watching her every move. No pressure, right?
Jensen’s new role sparked a heartfelt tribute on Instagram from assistant coach Abby Emmert Stamp, who gushed that Jensen is “leading @iowawbb in the exact way that is right in college athletics.” She couldn’t resist piling on a bit more love, saying Jensen gives the team “everything she has, every single day.” Stamp finished by declaring, “Jan Jensen in her best era!”
Now, Caitlin Clark isn’t one for long-winded replies, especially when a single word will do. Dropping a “Facts” underneath Stamp’s post, she sent waves through Hawkeye nation, giving Jensen her seal of approval in the most Clark way possible. Why waste words when you can make a whole statement with just one?
Clark, who built a legacy at Iowa before taking her talents to the WNBA, returned to her old stomping grounds last week to get a closer look at the new faces of Hawkeye basketball. She, along with former teammates Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall, turned the court into a mini-reunion, complete with sideline hype and celebratory antics. At one point, she even sprinted across the gym to celebrate a high-energy play, letting everyone know that her passion for Iowa hoops hasn’t dimmed one bit.
The nostalgia didn’t stop there. During halftime of the Iowa-Northwestern football game, Clark, Martin, Marshall, and other Hawkeye alums were honored in front of a crowd that still can’t get enough of them. The young WNBA star even took a moment to chat about her surreal experience going up against former teammate Kate Martin in the pros—though neither was likely to admit that there was a little extra spice to that matchup.
The question on every Iowa fan’s mind is whether the team can replicate the Clark-era magic. It’s a tall order, but with Jan Jensen at the helm and Clark’s “Facts” of approval echoing through Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the new generation of players is stepping into big shoes, no doubt. Jensen’s journey as head coach has just begun, and she’s got some monumental expectations to meet.
If Clark’s word is anything to go by, Jensen’s “best era” might just lead the Hawkeyes into a new one of their own.
