CORALVILLE, Iowa — The Iowa Hawkeye women's basketball team returned home Monday afternoon following an outstanding season and run to the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
The Hawks bussed back to the Iowa River Landing in Coralville around 3:45 p.m. to see hundreds of fans cheering them on.
While the team fell short of LSU in the NCAA National Championship, hundreds of fans still came together at the landing to welcome the players home.
"It's a team to be proud of — it was a great season, and you don't go that far without it being something special," one fan said.
Fans of all ages crowded the streets, proud of the women's basketball team and their performance.
"You know, someone's gotta lose in the end and it's just, our shots weren't going down like they should've, and theirs was," fan Derek Knutson said. "Everything they threw up went in, so I give credit to LSU, they're the champions — but as a Hawkeye fan, I'm not disappointed at all."
One young fan, Adrian, was able to get a basketball signed by superstar player Caitlin Clark, whose legendary offense made her an AP Player of the Year.
"I just like their energy and how they play," Adrian said. "It makes me happy and want to play basketball, seeing how much fun they have with it."
Some fans weren't as happy with how the final game went. Fan Nick Horstmann was wearing a shirt that read 'I'm just here to call more fouls.'
"We had the momentum getting it back to within seven points, but the fouls just killed us at that point," Horstmann said; however, he added that he's still cheering on the Hawks.
"I'm just glad the sport is growing and can't wait to see them next year."
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