The basketball star swapped her Iowa yellow for the Indiana Fever’s navy blue. And her first *official* game with the WNBA team will be on the road on May 14, where she’ll face off against the Connecticut Sun.
The game is already gathering buzz and will be streamed on ESPN2 and Disney+ (a first for that streamer). But more importantly her family will likely be there to cheer her. (Her parents “never miss a game,” per KCRG-TV9.)
Of course, the Clark family was in the stands as Caitlin capped off her season with an appearance in the women’s March Madness national championship, where she and the Hawkeyes lost to South Carolina 87-75.
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer comes from a line of sports enthusiasts. Eleven of Clark’s family members have played collegiate sports, according to the Hawkeyes’ website (via Heavy). This includes her dad, brother, and even her first cousin.
“We were always involved in sports and, at home, we were always around sports,” Caitlin’s older brother Blake told the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “We watched sports at night—whether we would go to Drake [University] and watch basketball games, or watch cousins play their basketball games or tournaments. When you’re just around something that much, it’s what you do, too.”
Caitlin’s parents, Brent and Anne Nizzi-Clark, raised their children—Blake, Caitlin, and Colin—in West Des Moines, Iowa, where all three children attended Dowling Catholic high school. Caitlin is the second-born child.
The family has showed her support for Caitlin’s college basketball career, with Anne telling Hawkeye Headquarters that her daughter’s rise to stardom has been “quite amazing.”
“Honestly, it’s just been a fabulous journey thus far and [we’re] super proud of her,” she added.
Here’s everything to know about Caitlin Clark’s family:
Caitlin Clark, the record-breaking women’s basketball player from the University of Iowa, is the daughter of Brent and Anne Nizzi-Clark.
On Feb. 15, Caitlin made history as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball during the game that saw Iowa’s 106-89 victory over Michigan. Her accomplishment, totaling 3,569 points (and counting), surpassed Kelsey Plum’s previous record of 3,527 points.
Caitlin’s remarkable feat immediately drew attention from superstar athletes like seven-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady and 39 Grand Slam winner Billie Jean King — but above all, she had her mom and dad’s in-person support on the court when she hit that unforgettable 3-point shot.
Tom Brady, Billie Jean King, Ashton Kutcher and More Congratulate Caitlin Clark on Breaking NCAA Women’s Scoring Record
“She’ll look to the stands every so often and I try to give her some reassurance,” Brent, who’s been to nearly every one of his Caitlin’s basketball games, previously said of showing up for his daughter. “I try to do the best I can.”
Caitlin has established herself as one of the greatest women’s basketball players long before becoming an NCAA all-time leading scorer. In March 2023 alone, she received the prestigious Naismith Trophy and was named The Associated Press National Player of the Year.
Caitlin’s maternal grandfather, Bob Nizzi, was the football coach at Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines, Iowa. Caitlin attended the same high school, and, naturally, carried on the family tradition by joining the basketball team there. Her grandfather shared a story with HawkFanatic about the moment he knew his granddaughter was destined for greatness.
Bob said that he and his wife, Caitlin’s grandmother, were watching a 5-year-old Caitlin struggle on the court. There was a boy twice her size playing a tough defense against Caitlin, Bob recalled
Caitlin Clark, the record-breaking women’s basketball player from the University of Iowa, is the daughter of Brent and Anne Nizzi-Clark.
On Feb. 15, Caitlin made history as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball during the game that saw Iowa’s 106-89 victory over Michigan. Her accomplishment, totaling 3,569 points (and counting), surpassed Kelsey Plum’s previous record of 3,527 points.
Caitlin’s remarkable feat immediately drew attention from superstar athletes like seven-time Super Bowl champ Tom Brady and 39 Grand Slam winner Billie Jean King — but above all, she had her mom and dad’s in-person support on the court when she hit that unforgettable 3-point shot.
Tom Brady, Billie Jean King, Ashton Kutcher and More Congratulate Caitlin Clark on Breaking NCAA Women’s Scoring Record
“She’ll look to the stands every so often and I try to give her some reassurance,” Brent, who’s been to nearly every one of his Caitlin’s basketball games, previously said of showing up for his daughter. “I try to do the best I can.”
Caitlin has established herself as one of the greatest women’s basketball players long before becoming an NCAA all-time leading scorer. In March 2023 alone, she received the prestigious Naismith Trophy and was named The Associated Press National Player of the Year.