There’s more to Caitlin Clark than just being the face of women’s collegiate basketball or Iowa basketball. She is the public face of collegiate hoops in general.
In a victory over Michigan, she broke the NCAA Division I women’s basketball lifetime scoring record. She is also on track to surpass Lynette Woodard’s Division I women’s scoring record. Additionally, she is on track to surpass Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA Division I scoring record.
Though “McCaffery” is also a well-known name in Iowa City, Clark is undoubtedly the most famous name in Iowa basketball history. It’s the last name of Fran McCaffery, the second-most successful coach in the history of the men’s basketball program, and his son, talented guard Connor McCaffery.
It turns out that McCaffery and Clark get along well and become a formidable basketball couple from Iowa. What you should know about Connor McCaffery and their timeline of relationships is provided below.
Who is Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend?
Clark is currently dating Connor McCaffery, an Iowa guard of six years.
McCaffery was limited heavily in his first season with the Hawkeyes in 2017-18, missing two games due to a sprained ankle, eight due to mononucleosis, and 19 due to a tonsillectomy, ultimately redshirting for the campaign. He bounced back to appear in 34 games for his dad’s team as a redshirt freshman, averaging 4.4 points and 3.0 assists in 18.6 minutes per game.
As a redshirt sophomore, he started all 31 games in which he appeared and averaged 6.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 34.4 percent from the field. He and the Hawkeyes likely would have been headed to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many years, but COVID canceled the 2019-20 edition of the tournament. For the season, McCaffery was recognized as the team’s winner of the Top Playmaker Award.
He shared the Top Playmaker Award the following season and again started all 31 games, averaging 3.3 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 32.4 percent from the field. He mostly came off the bench during his redshirt senior year in 2021-22, but he still earned a share of the Top Playmaker Award after averaging 2.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest despite starting only five of 34 games total.
In 2022–23, his additional COVID year, McCaffery started 22 of 32 games and enjoyed his best year to date. This marked his comeback to a starting role. In addition to averaging 3.7 assists per game, he set career highs in shooting percentage (38.4%), points per game (6.5), steals per game (1.3), and rebounds per game (4.1). He was selected as an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and had the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the country (3.9).
With the exception of the COVID campaign, when the Hawkeyes were virtually guaranteed to make it to the NCAA Tournament, every season he played in, the Hawkeyes advanced to the tournament.
McCaffery has since followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a career in coaching, having taken a job on the coaching staff of the Indiana Pacers as a team assistant in May 2023.
“I’ll play dummy defense, run the scout team, help coaches on film stuff, help on video projects if they need, scouting reports if they need,” McCaffery said to the Des Moines Register. “It’s kind of all-hands on deck, whatever you’re asked to do, be ready to do it.
“It’s a way in. It’s an entry-level job. You’ve got to work hard and work your way up. That’s obviously what I want to do.”
Caitlin Clark and Connor McCaffery relationship timeline
Clark and McCaffery’s relationship has not been in the public eye the way the NFL’s royal couple has taken over the world, but there’s still some documentation of its history.
April 23, 2023: The first public sighting of Clark and McCaffery comes at a Nuggets-Timberwolves game, as the camera spots Clark taking in the game in Minnesota with McCaffery next to her.
Aug. 21, 2023: Make it Instagram Official. Clark posts on her page a picture of her and McCaffery on a boat with the caption, “Best end to summer” with a heart emoji.
Jan. 22, 2024: McCaffery drops a collage of photos featuring him and Clark on his Instagram celebrating her birthday.
“Happy Birthday, 22,” McCaffery penned. “I wish I could have joined you in celebrating; you deserve the best day ever. This year, T Swift’s birthday will be the best one ever. Even with everything you’ve previously achieved, you and your unique self still have so much more in store. I adore you and I respect you greatly.”
Feb. 4, 2024: Sheryl Swopes gained notoriety for her false remarks disparaging Clark’s achievements, citing an additional COVID year (she is in her fourth year) and the fact that she takes 40 shots per game on average (22.7 in 2023–2024; 19.9 for her career). McCaffery was only one of many rushing to support Clark.
Feb. 16, 2024: McCaffery was thrilled to bring attention to the post as President Barack Obama recognizes Clark’s achievement. With sobbing emojis, he wrote “MR PRESIDENT” in a phrase from the previous president on Twitter. The quote-tweet was one of McCaffery’s many retweets honoring Clark’s record. McCaffery was present as well to witness history being made.
