Iowa Hawkeyes break attendance record in historic game at Kinnick Stadium

By Sam Joseph, CNN

(CNN) — A 21-year attendance record was broken on Sunday when 55,646 people packed into Kinnick Stadium to watch Iowa women’s basketball team take on the DePaul Blue Demons in an exhibition game.

The fixture – the first women’s basketball game to be played outdoors in a football stadium – set an NCAA single-game record for the largest attendance in women’s basketball history, the NCAA said.

The previous attendance record had stood since the 2002, according to the NCAA, when 29,619 witnessed the national title game between Oklahoma and UConn at Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The Hawkeyes, led by a triple-double from their star player Caitlin Clark, took down DePaul 94-72 in the “Crossover at Kinnick.”

Clark, the reigning National Player of the Year, tallied 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 13-of-26 from the field as she put on a show for the mammoth crowd.

“It’s hard to really wrap your head around everything that’s happening,” Clark told the media after the game. “Our team was kind of giddy getting ready to walk down the tunnel because we understand that this is a once in a lifetime thing.”

DePaul were led by guard Anaya Peoples, who had 19 points, five rebounds and three assists. The Blue Demons are seeking to make the NCAA tournament after missing out last season.

Kinnick Stadium is usually the home of Iowa’s football team, though it was reserved for the basketball program over the weekend for a team which has become a major draw in college sports, selling out all their season tickets for the upcoming campaign.

“What a day for our state and the game of women’s basketball, 55,000 people in attendance is crazy” Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder said after the game, per the school. “I appreciate our administration for backing my idea and not giving any push back on the idea.

“Today was everything we could’ve imagined and I’m happy for our girls because they got a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

All net proceeds from the event were donated to The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which overlooks the stadium, the NCAA said. At the end of the first quarter, players, coaches and supporters alike all turned to face the hospital and waved for over a minute, participating in what is known as “The Greatest Tradition in Sports.”

Sunday’s game was the perfect pre-season opener for the Hawkeyes, a team looking to go one better after falling at the final hurdle last season.

Clark averaged 27.8 points per game over the year and shot to fame during March Madness 2023, leading Iowa to the national championship game which ended in defeat by the LSU Tigers.

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