"A way for us to make more memories together": When Gabbie Marshall described her emotions after last Iowa game with Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin
Be it Caitlin Clark, Gabbie Marshall or Kate Martin, there were a lot of nostalgic emotions in the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 8. The Iowa Hawkeyes had lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the 2024 NCAA finals, their second such finale stint in the last two years. It was the last game the team played together before the roster underwent change behind graduating players.
Nevertheless, for Marshall, their last game together served as an opportunity to create more memories. Even though she acknowledged the upcoming change, the guard chose to perceive the situation with a positive lens, as reflected in an interview after the game.
"I'm glad it was the last game of the season, I think we all are," she said. "We've had as many games as we can possibly have with each other in the last year. So, it was just a way for us to make more memories together, accomplish more, stick together," Marshall added.
Moreover, even though nothing could have topped winning the NCAA title, Gabbie Marshall said Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin would probably have the same sentiments on their run.
Days later, Clark transitioned to the WNBA, being selected as the first overall pick on April 16 by the Indiana Fever. Martin was picked 18th in the second round by the Las Vegas Aces. Marshall is pursuing a master's from the University of North Carolina.
The WNBA draft meddled with Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin's vacation
As Iowa Hawkeyes’ most impactful roster was prepping to embark on their separate ways, Kate Martin, Jada Gyamfi and Gabbie Marshall had a unique plan to make the most of the remaining time.
The trio decided to experience cabin life, living with each other with minimal outside interference. Moreover, they planned that they would only use social media on the weekends.
Caitlin Clark had been headlining all year as a top pick in the draft, shelling her out of the plan automatically.
However, Martin, who made it to the draft night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music to simply cheer for Clark, was surprisingly picked up by the Aces. She was intimidated about her potential big-league entry and summoned to the players’ seating area between the rounds.
Not only did it start Martin's professional basketball journey, but it also forced the Iowa crew to postpone their once-in-a-lifetime trip.