Three former Iowa women's basketball players kicked off their WNBA seasons over the weekend. Here's how they did.
The college basketball season has been over for a little over a month now, but that doesn't mean Iowa's affiliation with the sport is over.
The WNBA kicked off its highly-anticipated 30th season over the weekend, and three former Iowa women's basketball players took part in the celebration.
Most of you were probably outside enjoying the nice weather the weekend brought, so you most likely didn't get a chance to watch WNBA basketball. That's not a problem at all, because HawkeyeRoundtable.com will be covering all of the former Hawkeyes in the W all season long.
So sit back, relax, and read about how the former Iowa players performed on WNBA opening weekend:
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
We'd be kicked off the Internet if we didn't mention Caitlin Clark first. Clark's transition to the WNBA has been anything but smooth. She won Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, but an injury-riddled 2025 campaign left her with plenty to prove in 2026.
Clark returned to Indiana's starting lineup for the season-opener, where she would face off against none other than her longtime rival Paige Bueckers - whose UConn team Iowa defeated in the 2024 Final Four.
Clark may have won that matchup, but Beuckers got revenge on Saturday afternoon. Her new-look Dallas Wings squad came into Indianapolis and put on a show, escaping with a 107-104 victory.
Clark still posted a respectable performance (20 points, 7/17 shooting), but it was probably a difficult film session for her. Clark committed five turnovers and missed some shots that she normally makes - including a missed three in the final seconds that would've tied the game.
Indiana will look to bounce back on Wednesday, May 13 when it travels to Los Angeles to take on the Los Angeles Sparks.
Megan Gustafson, Portland Fire
After spending two seasons and winning a WNBA title with the Las Vegas Aces, Megan Gustafson has found a new home with the expansion Portland Fire.
Though the Fire disappointed the capacity crowd at the Moda Center, losing 98-83 to the Chicago Sky, it was a successful debut for Gustafson. She collected 10 points, one assist, and one rebound on 4-of-6 shooting in the loss.
Portland's next chance to get its first win in franchise history will be on Tuesday, May 12 against the New York Liberty.
Lucy Olsen, Washington Mystics
Olsen and the Mystics played two games over the weekend - defeating the Toronto Tempo on Friday and falling to the Liberty in overtime on Sunday.
Olsen registered 10 minutes of action in the 68-65 win over Toronto, but didn't record a bucket (0-for-3). Her minutes were sliced in half in the 98-93 loss to New York, but she made both of her field goal attempts to record five points and an assist in the defeat.
Washington returns to action on Friday, May 15, where they'll play Clark and the Fever in Indianapolis.
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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at bradschultz@roundtable.io