The Iowa Hawkeyes faced off against the Depaul Blue Demons on Sunday, October 15th. Led by coach Lisa Bluder and college basketball’s biggest superstar, Caitlin Clark, Iowa played in the Crossover at Kinnick. For those who don’t know what or where Kinnick is, Kinnick is Iowa’s college football stadium with a capacity of 70,000. A record-setting 55,646 went to the stadium to support Iowa Hawkeyes basketball.
Iowa Hawkeyes Crossover at Kinnick Game Sets Record Attendance
The Game
The rain that harbored in Iowa all week subsided for Sunday’s game as Iowa played Depaul. Last year’s National Player of the Year, Clark, returned to her superstar ways. She put up a 31-point triple-double in a 94-72 win in the first exhibition game of the 2023-24 women’s college basketball season. Depaul got down early to the Hawkeye’s firepower and couldn’t recover. Notre Dame transfer Anaya Peoples led all Blue Demons in scoring with 19. Iowa had five players hit double figures on the night, including Addison O’Grady, who added 14 rebounds with 10 points.
How the Crossover Came to Life
With an idea, coach Bluder approached Beth Goetz, the athletic director at Iowa, two weeks after the Final Four about hosting an outdoor game at the school’s football stadium. The women’s basketball team plays home games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, with about a 15,000 capacity. During episode one of “Crossover at Kinnick,” Blunder said, “15,000 we can sell it out for every game, maybe we can do even more.” This is precisely what they did. Bluder spoke to the director about playing at Kinnick Stadium, which holds up to 70,000, and the Hawkeyes coach felt confident that the girls could pack the stadium. On Sunday, family, friends, and supporters filed into Kinnick Stadium, and the ending count ended at 55,646 people! It was a fantastic turnout for one of college basketball’s most electrifying teams.
The Hawkeye’s Competition
The 2023-24 college basketball season is approaching, and Iowa’s expectations are high. After their National Championship run, Bluder’s girls have a few significant obstacles. One obstacle is superstar Angel Reese, and the LSU Tigers reloaded after their championship last season. They added Hailey Van Lith from the transfer portal and Mikayla Williams, the number-two ranked player in the ’23 class. The UConn women get their superstar Paige Bueckers back to pair with Azzi Fudd. Their Big Ten rivals, Ohio State, have Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Cotie McMahon, ready to take the next step.
2023-24 Season Outlook
The 2023 season will not be easy for Iowa. With the loss of Monika Czinano and McKenna Warnock, the Hawkeyes need O’Grady to take the next step. Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin have returned for their fifth year of eligibility, and their hero Clark. The Crossover at Kinnick has given a great spark for the season ahead, and they look to build on that this year. As a result, the Hawkeyes are ready to return to the National Championship, this time coming out on top.
