IOWA City, Iowa – Ketleen Clarke was not back in his home area to play a basketball game.
Nevertheless, “butterflies,” the former iowa guard said, were quite similar.
Clarke returned to Iowa’s Carver-Hockey Arena on Sunday, so that after the 76-67 victory of the hockeys, number 4 finished 22nd in a ceremony after a 76-67 win over USC, after a season, when he Completed his historical college career.
Clarke said during a pregem press conference, “I think when you walk here, I already have butterflies in my stomach.” “Now there is not that much for a basketball game, but obviously to be around everyone and enjoy this atmosphere. I do not have to go for 40 minutes and compete, even if I want maybe I can. I think it will definitely be a little more emotional that I do not need to compete. ,
Clarke was in the Center court with his family as the number 22 went to the rafts. She was smiling throughout the ceremony.
Jersey retirement faced a historical career for Clarke in Iowa. He became the leading scorer of college basketball, leading Hawkis for back-to-back performance in the NCAA National Championship Game in the last two sessions.
A 14,998 -sold crowd included Lisa Blooder, former Clarke’s coach in Iowa and Stephanie White, WNBA’s Indiana fever with current coaches with current coaches. Fever will play an exhibition game in Iowa next season.
Former Iowa team partner Kate Martin and Gabbi Marshall were in courtside seats along with former talk-show host David letterman. The USC coaches and players stayed in court after the game to watch the ceremony.
“I’m sure it was not cheap,” Clarke took a pinch during the ceremony.
Iowa coach John Jensen told for the first time to see Clarke as a new person at West Des Moines Dowling High School.
“Our employee, we signed a compromise that we are going to do everything we can be the last one,” Jensen said. “And we are so grateful that we stood the last one. Ketleen, she is truly generated. He changed the world. ,
“The positive image that you have brought this basketball program, this university, this state, and women’s basketballs at the national level, is unmatched,” said Blader. “I have spent my entire career in an attempt to empower young women. This is all. But you have done more than this in the last four years, anyone can imagine. ,
Clarke reflected with Hawkis before his time before the game, when it was part of teams that reached four NCAA tournaments and won three Big Ten tournaments titles.
He said, “The great culture we had won.” “And for me, I hope that this is the thing that is always intact, and I know it is due to the great coaching staff and the types of players that they are here. We had players who were selfless . We had a player who did not care about how many points you were going to do for your comrades. And I think it is a lost art in college these days, and you do not always see it. ”
Clarke knows that he is in a constant media spotlight these days, whether he is participating in a concert or a suite in a suite in a Cancas City head NFL playoff game in Taylor Swift. She said that she understands the criticism that comes with meditation.
“I think one of my biggest skills I don’t really care,” Clarke said. “I don’t care – I believe in myself. I believe in myself. I believe in my colleagues. I try to establish it in them. I believe in the coaching staff that whatever team I was in , Whether it is here, whether it is with fever, and you just trust them. , But this is not just reality.
Clarke’s jersey was hung in rafters on the same day when Dakshin Carolina retired A’Ja Wilson’s jersey. Both of them wore 22 in college.