Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin were always in sync — without fail.
Over the past four years, the duo started 139 games together. Gabbie Marshall has appeared in 166 games throughout her career — the highest among any women’s basketball player in the Big Ten.

Together, these three crafted an indomitable legacy, marking perhaps the most remarkable era in Hawkeye history that concluded on Sunday night.

Three starters who ascended to the summit of Mount Everest, defying expectations set against them before the season even commenced.

Iowa faced off against giants of the sport. They triumphed over Kim Mulkey and Geno Auriemma, standing as the sole team in the last two seasons to overcome South Carolina.

The absence of a gleaming trophy stings, undoubtedly. Yet, it does not define the legacy of this team.

“Time goes so fast, like it’s crazy. I can’t believe this is my last career game,” Clark said.

“There’s so much to be proud of. People didn’t love us for our wins, I think they loved us for the way we carried ourselves every single day. For the way we played for one another.

The joy we played with, the the passion we played with. The competitive spirit we had. The way we high-fived and celebrated our teammates’ success. That’s the reason people loved tuning in to Iowa women’s basketball.”

“I idolized Iowa women’s basketball,” Martin said. “But it wasn’t like it is now. It is super cool to be a part of. I think our legacy is that we changed women’s basketball in a sense.

It’s just really cool to be associated with that, and I feel super grateful.”

“We’ve been together for so long, we’ve been through it together,” Marshall said.

“The ups and the downs, everything in between. I think just having those moments on and off the court to just build the chemistry between the three of us and Coach Bluder.”