Iowa women’s basketball: New team, same national appeal for fans

NEW YORK – The four-hour drive was nothing for Laura Grimm, even if she doubted she’d watch a happy ending unfold at her destination. Nevertheless, making the trip from Washington DC to Brooklyn offered Grimm a chance to watch Iowa women’s basketball, a team two years removed from the Caitlin Clark era, and judging by its blowout loss to No. 1 UConn on Saturday, not likely to make a Final Four run in the near future.

While the program may not have championship expectations, its fandom hasn’t waned.

Grimm loved watching Clark, but she sat at the Barclays Center wanting to see Iowa senior power forward Hannah Stuelke, who plays the same position Grimm did back at Marquette. She adds that “both Taylors” – McCabe and Stremlow are growing as players but griped that the team needs to improve its free-throw shooting, which hovered at 65 percent heading into Saturday’s contest. Balancing compliments and complaints, just like any fan would. 

“They are clearly a team. They play for each other, they play to have fun, and they’re dialed in on every game,” Grimm said. I just wish they made more of their free throws.” 

Grimm became a fan when she married her husband, an Iowa native. Meanwhile, Bruce Werning grew up in Davenport, an hour’s drive east of Iowa City, and has rooted for the Hawkeyes his whole life.

Werning, who worked in construction, flew in from Chicago and remembers the days before Clark, when former Hawkeye Megan Gustafson was named Player of the Year in 2019 by the Associated Press. He’s attended the Big Ten Tournament the last four years and traveled to Charlotte last year for Iowa’s game against Tennessee. With season tickets at Carver-Hawkeye Arena sold out for the third consecutive season, attending road games is Werning said attending road games is his next best option.

Kayla Prosinski’s story is different. She didn’t become a Hawkeye fan by marriage or geographically. Hailing from Endwell, New York, Prosinksi played basketball at SUNY Polytechnic Institute. The former guard attended the NCAA Tournament in 2023 when Clark led the Hawkeyes to their first of two consecutive Final Fours. She said she was a “neutral” spectator before meeting Iowa fans sitting next to her. 

“They were so nice and so welcoming to any sports fan,” she said. “No matter if you’ve been watching basketball for a few months or your whole life.” 

Sitting in the stands in midcourt at the Barclays Center two years later, Prosinski, donning a gold Hawkeyes shirt, watches Stremlow, her favorite player on the squad and an embodiment of Iowa’s style of play.

“I [Iowa head coach] Jan Jensen, I love the whole team, their hustle,” she said. 

Despite the loss to UConn, at least Grimm saw improved free-throw shooting, as the Hawkeyes went 6-of-8 from the line. She knew the Huskies were a tough team to beat, but she wouldn’t miss a chance to watch her newfound favorite team, even if it was a likely rout. The four-hour drive was worth it. Two ranked teams playing with joy under the bright lights in the Big Apple.

“There’s so much more pressure than when I played,” she said. “It’s so wonderful to see women play this sport with such enthusiasm.”