Caitlin Clark’s No. 22 jersey is among the top-selling merchandise in college sports. In the crowds at Carver-Hawkeye Stadium, it’s easy to spot plenty of fans sporting “Clark” on the back of a shirt.
Her name has become synonymous with women’s basketball, as Clark is on the early track to be placed among greats like Bird, Taurasi, Stewart, and Parker.
However, on Sunday afternoon, there was a different name on her jersey.
The No. 4 Hawkeyes moved to 24-4 with a resounding 101-85 win over Illinois at home. While black and yellow colors were seen all over the crowd, pink was the vibrant color of the day on the court.
Iowa donned pink in the uniforms as a part of the Play 4 Kay initiative, a campaign that aims to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. It’s in honor of legendary North Carolina State women’s basketball coach Kay Yow, who died in 2009 after a 22-year battle.
The color wasn’t the only difference. The names on the back of the players’ jerseys were not their own. Here’s more to know about why Clark sported “Keough” on the back of her jersey.
MORE: Caitlin Clark records 16th career triple-double in Iowa win
Caitlin Clark ‘Keough’ jersey, explained
Clark was not the name seen on the back of No. 22 in the Iowa-Illinois matchup. Instead, it was “Keough,” in honor of family friend Dan Keough, who battled colorectal cancer in 2012.
Each member of the Iowa contingent had a different name on the back of their jersey. It was a way of paying tribute to a loved one during their Play 4 Kay breast cancer awareness game.
We ❤️ Coach T. @tania_davis1 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/2I3zEKmWHY
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) February 25, 2024
Kate’s Cookin’ 👩🍳
5 pts, 2 reb, 1 ast for @kate_martin22.
1Q 4:47 | Iowa 12, UI 6 #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/PSb5iWjmmY
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) February 25, 2024
For 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮 💕@sgoodman40 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Rpu3GvxKUh
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) February 25, 2024
