Caitlin Clark dominated her return to basketball after eight months off. Following an injury-plagued 2025 WNBA season where she was limited to only 13 games, the Indiana Fever guard led Team USA to a perfect 5-0 record at the FIBA World Cup qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico.
She led the tournament with 6.4 assists per game and added 11.6 points per contest. In her senior debut, she recorded 17 points and 12 assists in a 110-46 win over Senegal.
On Tuesday, FIBA named Clark the tournament MVP. This is her second world-stage MVP title, following her win at the 2021 U-19 World Cup. Shortly after the honorable recognition, Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Jan Jensen, who originally recruited Clark to the program, shared her warm words for the Fever guard.
She wrote, “How ’bout this?! Sending huge congrats to @CaitlinClark22 on yet another incredible honor! It’s so fun to see you continue to shine, Caitlin! Keep being amazing you! So proud of you! Love ya!”
How ‘bout this?! Sending huge congrats to @CaitlinClark22 on yet another incredible honor! It’s so fun to see you continue to shine, Caitlin! Keep being amazing you! So proud of you! Love ya! https://t.co/s7NCQfO0I3
— Jan Jensen (@goiowa) March 19, 2026
The Hawkeyes start their March Madness run this Saturday at home by facing No. 15 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights. If Iowa wins, they’ll play again on Monday against the winner of Georgia Lady Bulldogs and either Virginia Cavaliers or Arizona State Sun Devils
Meanwhile, Clark has a clear path forward. The WNBA and its players reached a verbal agreement on a new labor deal early Wednesday. While she isn’t eligible for a “supermax” contract yet, the new rules mean she is expected to earn over $500,000 next season. That is a major raise from her original 2026 salary of about $86,000.
Related: Caitlin Clark WNBA Development Causes a Stir