Whose name pops into your mind when you think of the ‘face’ of Iowa athletics in the past few years? There’s a good chance it would be women’s basketball icon Caitlin Clark. From carrying the tag of one of the ‘greatest’ college basketball players to winning an ESPY almost immediately after turning pro, Clark’s fame remains unmatched. However, Bo Bassett could be well on his way to becoming the next face of the Hawkeyes.

The high school wrestling prodigy became the MVP of all NCAA prospects with the steering wheel in his hands. He spent months scratching off big names from his college list while racking up wins. It wasn’t until February 2025 that the Bishop McCort student chose Iowa. “HUGE GET FOR THE HAWKEYES,” wrote the Instagram page Hawkeye Source.

After all, after winning 111 bouts consecutively (as of March 9, 2025) Bassett proved himself as the best wrestler in the nation, becoming the #1 pound-for-pound recruit. Yet, despite a full NCAA championship cycle to go before Bassett can even join the NCAA team in the competition, the Bishop McCort junior is already on a mission to bolster Iowa’s ranks.

“I’m texting guys who aren’t committed yet, I’m like, ‘Hey, we get you, we can do this,’ kind of planting that seed in these guys’ ear,” Bo Bassett told Eli McKown. Now you may ask: Why? Well, it’s because joining the Hawkeyes was a dream come true. Don’t take my word for it; Bassett said it himself. “I think this is a dream,” he told reporters as per Yahoo News.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, the high school wrestler idolized Hawkeyes icons such as Spencer Lee, Michael Kemerer, Max Murin, and Kaleb Young. Among those heroes, Olympic medalist Spencer Lee is now technically his teammate. So it’s no wonder the high schooler is already dreaming of his college debut. “I can’t even imagine that first runout in Carver-Hawkeye (Arena),” said Bo Bassett.

“I think about it a lot,” confessed the McCort Crushers member. However, through the act of lifting Iowa back to its former glory, the Pennsylvania native also hopes to become the face of the program one day. “I do want to eventually, someday, be one of those guys that the young guys that are future Hawks can say, ‘Hey, I want to be like that guy,'” and here’s why Bassett has the potential to pull it off.

Is Bo Bassett destined to be Iowa’s star in a post-Caitlin Clark era?

When Caitlin Clark committed to Iowa right out of high school, she was the #4 prospect in the nation in 2019. Looking at the wrestling rankings, Bassett already has the former face of Iowa beat on this account. However, when quantifying what makes Clark a star, it’s not about the comparison of the stat sheet. However, that doesn’t mean Clark doesn’t have the stats.

In fact, the college basketball icon might just have too many records to count. Clark started feeling records like dominoes from freshman year. Everyone from scoring to assisting, a plethora of Big-Ten and All-American accolades, the list is almost endless. Yet Clark didn’t fill college games with stats and records, the audience loved the charisma, and the champions’ mindset. Qualities Bo Bassett also possesses.

Bassett didn’t build his 111-bout win streak and garner 192,000 Instagram followers with stats, either. Fans were similarly drawn to his discipline. Take the high school wrestler’s training, for example. Bassett believes in the grind, that practice makes perfect, and so every morning he wakes up at 5:00 and goes straight to training. That’s just the beginning of his day.

Just like Clark worked relentlessly to perfect her game, Bassett believes in outworking his opponents. “I’m thinking about the guys on the other side, they’re working out, and then my competition in the USA is sleeping,” said the wrestling prodigy. Yes! Bassett trains extra to make up for wrestlers on the other side of the world, who will be training when it’s nighttime in the US. If that’s not championship mentality, then what is?

Since Caitlin Clark’s transition to the WNBA, the former Iowa icon’s star power has continued to shine through. And while that sort of fame may be too far in the future for Bo Bassett, he’s already thinking about getting Iowa to the top. “Let’s get back to that top spot and let’s keep putting titles together,” the high school junior, told Eli McKown. Now, only time will tell if the Bishop McCort student can step into Caitlin Clark’s shoes and live up to those words.