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Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard and WNBA’s Rookie of the Year, continues to cherish her ties to the University of Iowa, where she achieved remarkable success with the Hawkeyes. Clark led Iowa to consecutive championship appearances and became the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer, amassing 3,951 points. Her impact was immortalized when Iowa retired her iconic No. 22 jersey in a memorable ceremony last month at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa is also where Clark met her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, who played for the Hawkeyes men’s basketball team for six seasons under the guidance of his father, Fran McCaffery. However, after 15 seasons as Iowa’s head coach, Fran McCaffery was dismissed on March 12, 2025, following a disappointing 17-16 season and missing the NCAA tournament for a second consecutive year.
Fran McCaffery Lands New Role at the University of Pennsylvania
It didn’t take long for Fran McCaffery to secure a new coaching position. On March 27, 2025, the University of Pennsylvania, his alma mater, officially announced him as the new John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men’s Basketball. McCaffery, who led the Ivy League in assists (105) and steals (51) as a senior in the 1981-82 season, expressed his excitement in returning to Philadelphia.
“I am excited and honored to return to my alma mater and the city of Philadelphia to lead the Penn men’s basketball program,” McCaffery stated. “It is a program that I have fond memories of from my previous time there as a student-athlete and assistant coach.”
Both Caitlin Clark and boyfriend Connor McCaffery made their support for Fran's new opportunity known by liking the post on his appointment to the University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team. Connor, an assistant coach of the Butler men's basketball team, praised his father's new role.
Clark Gears for NFL Owners' Meeting and a Prestigious Panel
While Fran McCaffery is getting ready to move to the East Coast, Caitlin Clark is preparing for a big one. According to Front Office Sports, Clark is to speak on a panel during the NFL annual owners' meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, this weekend. With tennis great Serena Williams, former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, and Broncos co-owner Mellody Hobson, she will discuss the growth of women's sports and the rising popularity of flag football as an Olympic sport in 2028.
Clark's Growing Impact Beyond the Court
As Clark juggles her WNBA career with something much bigger in women's sports, her ties to the McCaffery family remain strong. With Fran McCaffery starting a new chapter in Philadelphia and Clark preparing to stand on a national stage, both will forge pathways that will stand the test of time in their respective worlds.
