Despite losing Caitlin Clark to the W, the Iowa women’s basketball team won its first exhibition game on Wednesday. This proved that the team shouldn’t be taken lightly, as was the case when they couldn’t secure themselves a place in the AP Preseason top 25 rankings. However, their head coach Jan Jensen drew clear parallels with previous seasons, opining that the win was a result of something that has existed in their culture.

During Wednesday’s post-game press conference, Jansen lauded her team while reflecting on the long-standing Iowa culture, which had fans going gaga over the win.

“Well, what I’d like to thank is… I… I think why people have enjoyed our teams over the years is because of what you saw tonight. You know when the plays were kind of fun. I think there was one play in particular that I would like to hope will always be indicative of Iowa basketball. It went, it touched everybody. I think Kylie hit the three,” Jensen stated.

The Hawkeyes appeared in their first exhibition game and stunned the Missouri Western on Wednesday. They had a 110-55 win that saw most of their players scoring while sharpening the axe for the regular season. Kylie Feuerbach hit 14 points in the 22:57 minutes she played, hitting 3 out of 5 three-pointers. However, for Jensen, it isn’t new as it has existed for all these years.

“I think that’s why people really liked, have liked Iowa basketball. Whether it’s Gustafson, whether it’s Doyle, whether it’s Caitlin and Kate, and all the… you know heroes, is there’s something about the wonderful young women we attract. That, like you know, they love each other… I love my team. Right? So I think that is what I hope and I think if we can do that, we can continue to play with that joy, and that fun, then it’s fun and joyful for everybody to come watch too. And then hopefully we get the wins but that I think is more holistically,” Jensen further added in the interview.

Jansen recollected the previous stars like Megan Gustafson and Kathleen Doyle. While Gustafson was drafted in the second round by the Dallas Wings in 2019, Doyle was the 14th overall pick by the Indiana Fever in 2020. Therefore, this culture of having a mainstay player and being unselfish has existed in the Hawkeyes group, as per Jansen.

Further, Jensen also gave examples of the previous head coach Lisa Bluder, and her chief mentee Caitlin Clark, and how much they have contributed, like Vivian Stringer, who was the coach from 1983 to 1995. Similarly, according to Jensen, loving one’s teammates is a ritual that has been followed in Iowa.

“There’s a responsibility and there’s a pressure to that. But again, pressure is a privilege, right? But also these guys are excited about it, and so I’m just excited that they got a taste of it. But I’m… I’m also not a rookie in the sense of 32 years. These games should be like this. I hope we’re celebrating all the things, we’re talking about next Wednesday. And then the following Saturday or Sunday whenever we go to Charlotte,” Jensen concluded. Meanwhile, fans are happy to note that the Hawkeyes are winning even after Clark left.

After Caitlin Clark’s era, it will be Jan Jensen’s magic

Clark was the mainstay player for the Hawkeyes for four years. She took Iowa to two consecutive National Championship games in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons while also winning the AP Player of the Year award both times. Plus, she ended her career as the all-time leading men and women scorer in the NCAA. After she was drafted in the W, the coach who had groomed her – Bluder retired as well.

Thus, her departure marks a new era for the Hawkeyes, who are now being trained by the former associate head coach Jensen. Though the Hawkeyes might not have many known players barring Sydney Affolter, Feuerbach, and Hannah Stuelke, they would want to start their new era with a Championship.

And during this time, what connects them is their love for each other and how they play unselfishly, as pointed out by Jensen. Hopefully, this time, they will be able to fulfill their dreams that they missed in two seasons before.