Caitlin Clark may have moved on to the WNBA, but at heart, she is still a Hawkeye, especially when her ex-team member is in distress.

After an MRI confirmed that she would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, Taylor McCabe took to Instagram to share the news herself.

“This isn’t how I imagined my senior season ending, but adversity has always been part of the game,” she wrote. “I’m committed to my recovery and to supporting my teammates in every way I can the rest of this season.”

Caitlin Clark, the former Iowa superstar, immediately reached out. She reshared McCabe’s message and added a simple note,  “Proud of you 🖤.”

And she didn’t stop there. She also responded to Hawkeyes Women’s Basketball’s official post announcing the injury. When the program shared McCabe’s statement with the caption, “Gave her all for Iowa,” she replied, “Legend, lot to be proud of.”

CC and McCabe were teammates during Clark’s final two seasons at Iowa.

The moment was also deeply nostalgic for her. 

Just two years ago, she was part of the Iowa team when Molly Davis was carried off the floor on Senior Day against then–No. 2 Ohio State. And this Sunday was the horrifying repeat of the familiar incident. 

This time, Iowa’s senior guard McCabe was carried off the court after suffering the injury. “I’m really, really sick about Taylor’s injury,” head coach Jan Jensen said. “It’s heartbreaking.”

And then the MRI later confirmed the worst, an ACL tear. So, given the history and the timing, CC’s heartfelt message felt only natural.

McCabe’s injury is a major blow for Iowa, especially with the team gaining momentum.

How Iowa Plans to Move Forward?

They’ve recently cracked the top 10 in the rankings for the first time since CC’s tenure.

Iowa isn’t pressing pause. As Jensen made it clear, the team won’t dwell on the setback. Instead, they plan to rely on their depth and continue pushing forward.

She also highlighted the development of freshman Addie Deal, who scored 20 points in the win, the most by an Iowa freshman in a Big Ten game since Caitlin Clark.

So while McCabe’s absence leaves a noticeable gap in shooting, Iowa has shown it has options. And, the plan is already in motion.

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Joyita Das