Even after experiencing defeat twice in her pursuit of the national championship, Gabbie Marshall remains unwavering in her satisfaction with her decision to join Iowa’s women’s basketball team.

Since stepping onto the court as a Hawkeye in 2019, the 23-year-old athlete quickly became an integral part of the team, participating in every game throughout her freshman season.

What Marshall holds dear from her recruitment experience with Coach Lisa Bluder is not only the coach’s sincerity but also a humorous remark about corn that resonated with her.

“If you give us a chance and come visit, I promise, you’ll want to come here,” Bluder told Marshall.

This is how Gabbie Marshall describes the opening conversation of the process:

“I appreciated that honesty, because she wasn’t just telling me what I needed to hear.”

The key to those conversations was that Bluder was honest with Marshall regarding the fact that she wouldn’t start during her freshman season.

Nevertheless, as observed, this obstacle did not hinder the potential star, as she managed to make meaningful contributions as a reserve player.

Gabbie Marshall’s Decision to Return for One Last Season with Iowa

Following Caitlin Clark’s departure and the conclusion of a remarkable era of players in the Iowa Hawkeyes program, it appeared that the upcoming season would introduce a new team dynamic.

Nonetheless, it has been verified that Marshall will indeed grace her school with her presence for one final season. She elucidated her choice with the following statement:

“These past four years have been nothing short of amazing, because of that, I was not ready to leave this place just yet. I am truly blessed to be able to come back for another year and wear ‘Iowa’ across my chest. … We’re not done yet.”

While it is difficult to see Gabbie Marshall helping fill the scoring gap Clark had left at Iowa, she scored only 6.1 points per game this season.

Hopefully for Hawkeyes fans, Marshall will bear more of the leadership role left behind by her teammates joining the WNBA.