Former Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark will make her WNBA debut as the Indiana Fever start preseason play on Friday. 

Due to Clark’s massive popularity, the Fever made a significant change to the franchise’s travel plans this season. WNBA teams use commercial flights for financial reasons throughout the regular season, which has raised some concerns about the safety of players.

Clark spoke about the efforts to keep the players safe throughout the season.

“The Fever organization has done a really good job getting ahead of things,” Clark said.

“There’s going to be a lot of security traveling with us. There will be certain plans of how we’re going to navigate going through airports and things like that. It’s not just for us; it’s for everybody in the WNBA. Everybody is dealing with the same thing.

“The Fever organization has a really great plan in place to keep everybody safe and keep things moving along as we’re traveling. The popularity of our league is continuing to grow, that’s a positive thing, too; you want people to be excited about our game.”

The Fever will travel with enhanced security this season to ensure the safety of all players. The WNBA has noted that chartered flights are not plausible but did allow chartered flights for all postseason games.

Clark was also asked if it would be an adjustment to fly commercials to games at the WNBA level.

“It will definitely be an adjustment,” Clark said of commercial travel. “At this point of my career and across the WNBA, it is what it is. I’m sure everybody would say that they would love to be flying charter all the time. That definitely would help a lot of problems.”

The Indiana Fever will travel to face the Dallas Wings in a preseason matchup on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT at College Park Center.

Don’t look now Caitlin Clark fans. Social media is convinced that the Iowa vs. UConn Final Four game was “rigged” in favor of the Hawkeyes following a controversial finish in a thrilling back-and-forth affair.

The Huskies were trailing by just one point with less than 10 seconds to go as they moved up the court into Iowa territory, looking for the game-winning basket. Aaliyah Edwards tried to set a screen, but the officials called an offensive foul which resulted in a change of possession:

The controversial call led to Caitlin Clark getting fouled, and she made one of two free throws to increase the lead to two. Though she missed the second free throw, the Hawkeyes regained possession and were able to drain the clock for a 71-69 win to punch their ticket to the finals.

Unfortunately, the questionable call will remain a key talking point for years to come, even though this will go down as one of the greatest games in history. The NCAA doesn’t want to hear this, but plenty of fans took to X/Twitter and accused them of “rigging” the game for Iowa:

Iowa Vs UConn was rigged 😭😭😭this was not an offensive foul on Aaliyah Edwards .. and did everyone see the promo for the documentary of the women’s college national championship with South Carolina and Iowa before the game was over ? … hey man.. #IowavsUConn #caitlinclark pic.twitter.com/053VpcNSAs

— Kam . (@therealkamari_) April 6, 2024

It’s be way easier if they would just admit it was rigged.

— Tony Chapman (@tony_chapman76) April 6, 2024

Womens bball might be rigged…

Calling an offensive foul on a SCREEN w/ 5 seconds left is absurd.

Feel bad for the UConn girls not even getting a chance there.

— J.P. Hovey (@jhovey34) April 6, 2024

I’ve lost all respect sorry this is absolutely rigged for money… Or ratings in not sure which. I won’t be silent . Just saw it live sry.

— Molly (@FSUmollz) April 6, 2024

The Sports Are Rigged argument just gained a huge piece of supporting evidence. This is horrible https://t.co/RXQl2XEdTE

— ČØŁBŸ WÎŁKĘRŠÕŃ (@Colby_w23) April 6, 2024

Refs did uconn so dirty on that offensive foul call. You can’t call that there. The fix is in. That’s proof right there these games are rigged.

— Shane (@SugarShane2311) April 6, 2024

If that call on UConn isn’t proof sports are rigged then I don’t know what to tell you. Had to get the best college basketball player of all time in the finals somehow

— Jameson Kamm (@KammJameson) April 6, 2024

With the victory, Iowa reaches the National Championship Game for the second straight year. A year ago, they lost to Angel Reese’s LSU Tigers by a final score of 102-85. Iowa, of course, would get a nice piece of revenge by eliminating LSU in the Elite 8.

Iowa will meet South Carolina in the National Championship Game on Sunday.

Caitlin Clark & Iowa Get A Chance At Redemption

The all-time leading scorer in NCAA basketball has a near-perfect resume. The only thing missing is a national championship, and now Caitlin Clark will get the chance to win it once and for all in what will be her last college game.

Clark previously announced that she’s headed to the WNBA, and the 22-year-old is a virtual lock to go first overall to the Indiana Fever, who own the top selection.

“I love you,” Auriemma said as they embraced, a scene captured by the UConn women’s basketball program’s social media team and posted to X.

“I love you so much,” Mühl said back.

And then Mühl, who grew particularly close to Auriemma during her four years at UConn, was off to pursue her WNBA career. The Huskies’ all-time assists leader, she was selected 14th overall last week by the Seattle Storm.

“I’ll have to get your schedule,” Auriemma said soon after Mühl entered. “As soon as you guys are playing …”

“If I make the team,” Mühl said.

“Come on, stop,” Auriemma said. “It will take you one practice to figure out what you’ve got to do to make the team. And then you just do that. They drafted you for a reason. So do what they drafted you for. Bring a different culture to them, that pros don’t have.”

“That UConn culture,” Mühl said.

“Bring that UConn culture to them,” Auriemma said.

Mühl, of Croatia, chose to turn professional instead of exercise the additional year of eligibility offered to every student-athlete whose time in college overlapped with the pandemic.

She arrived as a freshman in 2020, parachuting into the bizarre world of COVID basketball bubbles and isolation, became fast friends with classmate Paige Bueckers and spent four years injecting her unique personality into the Huskies’ program.

A defensive specialist, Mühl also broke Sue Bird’s record for most career assists, thriving in the backcourt even as Bueckers missed most of two seasons due to injury. She was indispensable.

Now Mühl will work for Bird in Seattle. The Storm announced Wednesday that Bird had joined the franchise’ ownership group.

Mühl didn’t win a national championship at UConn like Bird, but she leaves having found herself and having offered new levels of entertainment to a fan base, and a needed level of hot-headed defensive intensity to UConn teams so often limited by one unprecedented wave of injuries after the next.

When Muhl entered Auriemma’s office Wednesday, Auriemma said he had been watching her shoot in the gym that his office overlooks.

“You didn’t shoot like that when you played here, back in the day,” Auriemma said. “You’re ancient history.”

Mühl smiled with a quizzical look. She soon got serious.

“I just thank you,” Mühl said. “Like, you changed my life. Your impact, I don’t think you’re aware of it. To an extent you are, but you’ve impacted so many people around me, including me. … There’s never been a single person like you and there never will be in the world. And I hope you know how unique you are and how special you …”

Auriemma cut her off.

“Are you describing yourself?” he said. “Are you talking about you right now?”

“Not but, seriously,” Muhl continued. “You’re just legendary, but not as a coach. To me you’re legendary as a person. And I’ll cherish that forever. … You changed me, man.”

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Muhl, who idolizes Dennis Rodman, was a two-time Big East defensive player of the year. Where Bueckers was all flash and flair for her offensive gifts, Mühl was all hustle and muscle in the way she approached each game, each possession.

Former teammates Evina Westbrook called her “Gnat” for the way she played. Off the court, she Mühl was more gentle, fun and personable while in the public eye.

Muhl had asked Auriemma and associate head coach Chris Dailey to schedule a game against Ball State her senior season, and it came to be on Dec. 7, 2023. Her younger sister, Hana Mühl and Ball State visited Gampel Pavilion. Their parents, father Darko and mother Roberta, made the trip from Croatia to attend the game.

“Surreal,” Darko said that night. “When you think, two people from Croatia, enjoying this moment is special. It shows that anything is possible. Those two were able to get here with their work. It’s a great family story, right? I think this is a perfect moment for us.”

Hana has since transferred to Manhattan.

Nika, 23, who set the UConn single-game record with 15 assists against NC State in 2022, has closed her college chapter. In announcing she would do on March 8, she posted pictures of herself and Auriemma in Auriemma’s black Mercedes-Benz and wrote, “Last ride with my G.”

On Wednesday they hugged as UConn player and UConn coach for the final time.

“I don’t think anybody here will forget you,” Auriemma said. “You won’t let them. You’ll be back a lot.”