Newsstand: How close Notre Dame came to signing Caitlin Clark of Iowa

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•03/21/24•

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With the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament tipping off tomorrow, it might pain Notre Dame fans to know just how close the Irish were to signing the nation’s very best player in the recruiting class of 2020 — Caitlin Clark of Iowa.

Wright Thompson wrote a story for ESPN this week detailing the recruitment of Clark, a Hawkeye State native. She went to Catholic school from kindergarten through high school, and her family has always been crazy about Notre Dame. She loves the movie Rudy.

“How could you not pick Notre Dame?” she told Thompson.

So she did. And then she didn’t.

Clark silently committed to then-Irish head coach Muffet McGraw via a phone call. She told Iowa’s head coach she wasn’t going to be a Hawkeye. As teenagers are most certainly entitled to do, Clark changed her mind somewhere along the way. She’s cited in Thompson’s story as not loving her visit to South Bend. She also told Thompson McGraw took the de-commitment well.

That’s recruiting. Notre Dame swung for the fences. The Irish didn’t straight-up miss; they were a clear No. 2 behind the Hawkeyes. But it was a foul tip at best.

Notre Dame tweets of the day

Spring practice is back in session in South Bend.

Early enrollee freshman wide receiver Micah Gilbert is a smooth operator.

Hannah Hidalgo has had one of the best freshman seasons of anyone ever, not just among former Irish players.

Quote of the day

“When Rocco and Pat started, they were better. They were better, and that’s why they played. It doesn’t mean that’s the end of the world for anybody else. You just continue. It’s a part of your story. It’s a part of your journey. You gain strength from that.”

— Irish offensive line coach Joe Rudolph on Billy Schrauth’s learning curve losing a starting job competition last year

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