"Love you": Iowa HC Jan Jensen shows love to Caitlin Clark's former teammate Kate Martin ahead of Minnesota vs Golden State matchup

Iowa coach Jan Jensen showed love to former Hawkeye Kate Martin, who played alongside Caitlin Clark during her time in Iowa. The two played together for four seasons and have remained close since.

On Saturday, ahead of the WNBA game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Minnesota Lynx, Jensen sent a message to Martin, who now plays for the Valkyries.

The coach added a picture of Martin from pregame warmups to her Instagram story.

"Fun game loading... watching @katemartin play the Minnesota Lynx! Let's Go, Kate!!!! Love you and so proud of you!" Jensen wrote.

Screenshot via Instagram (@janjensen13/IG)

Martin, who recorded her career-high 21 points last week against the New York Liberty, played only 15 minutes in the 82-71 loss to the Lynx at Target Center on Saturday. She finished with five points and two rebounds.

The Illinois native spent six years with the Hawkeyes when Jan Jensen was the associate coach under Lisa Bluder. Martin was drafted by the Aces in the second round last year but joined Golden State after one season.

Her former Iowa teammate, Caitlin Clark, went to the Indiana Fever as the top pick.

Jan Jensen attends former Iowa star Kate Martin's WNBA game

Not only did Jan Jensen send a message to Kate Martin, but she also attended the WNBA game between the Valkyries and the Lynx in Minneapolis to cheer on the former Iowa star in person.

After the game, Jensen, who is entering her second year as the Iowa coach, posted a picture of herself posing with Martin on X (formerly Twitter).

"So much fun watching #20, @kate_martin22 tonight!😊 She simply brings it every single possession!👊🏼We love you, Kate and we’re so proud of you! 🖤💛Keep shining!" Jensen tweeted.

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In the picture, the Iowa coach can be seen sporting Martin's No. 20 Hawkeye jersey.

Martin and Caitlin Clark were two Iowa players who were picked in the 2024 WNBA draft. Meanwhile, in her first year as head coach, Jan Jensen also sent one player to the professional league, with Lucy Olsen going to the Washington Mystics as the No. 23 pick this year.

ALSO READ: Kate Martin fondly recalls Caitlin Clark's instant rise after recruitment: "She came in and ruled the world"

About the author

Salim is a writer at Sportskeeda covering College Basketball. Salim holds a degree in Civil Engineering and has two years of experience writing about both NBA and College Basketball. He has a knack for learning and is passionate about seeking new knowledge.

A basketball enthusiast since his college days, Salim developed a love for the sport through Stephen Curry and most recently Luka Doncic has become his favorite player. He started following college basketball after Angel Reese's breakout season with LSU in 2022.

Apart from basketball, Salim is also a huge fan of football. As much as he enjoys watching games, he is also equally invested in playing the sport.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash