Kate Martin suffers leg injury in Las Vegas Aces loss
LISA BLUDER DROPPED THE BOMBSHELL ON US TWO HOURS AGO. SHE’S RETIRING AT THE AGE OF 63. STARTED AT SAINT AMBROSE BEFORE GOING TO DRAKE FOR A DECADE, THEN OFF TO IOWA FOR 24 YEARS, INCLUDING THE PAST TWO SEASONS REACHING A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 884 CAREER WINS, 10TH MOST IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HISTORY, THREE TIME BIG TEN COACH OF THE YEAR, AND NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR IN 2019. LONGTIME ASSISTANT JAN JENSEN WAS NAMED HEAD COACH ON MONDAY, LISA BLUDER DECIDED TO WALK AWAY AT THE TOP OF HER GAME AND WITH ANOTHER TOP NOTCH ROSTER LOCKED IN FOR NEXT SEASON, THE NEWS WAS SHOCKING. EVEN TO HER FORMER PLAYERS. KATE MARTIN WAS DOING A ZOOM CALL WHEN JEFF LINDER FROM THE CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE TOLD KATE THE NEWS AND JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM IOWA. I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS A SHOCKER TO YOU OR NOT, BUT, UH, WITHIN THE LAST MINUTE OR TWO, LISA HAS ANNOUNCED HER RETIREMENT. WHAT? I’M VERY SHOCKED. UM, I MEAN, I’M HAPPY FOR HER. I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SHE DESERVES THE BEST. AND SHE’S HAD AN AMAZING CAREER. SHE’S COACHED AT IOWA FOR AS LONG AS I’VE BEEN ALIVE. SO. SO SHE DESERVES A BREAK AND SHE DESERVES WHATEVER SHE’S GOING TO HAVE IN HER FUTURE. BUT YEAH, IT WAS AN EVENTFUL DAY FOR KATE MARTIN. HER FORMER COACH, RETIRED AND SHE OFFICIALLY LANDED A ROSTER SPOT IN THE WNBA LAS VEGAS ANNOUNCED ITS ROSTER HEADED TOMORROW’S SEASON OPENER IN THE 18TH OVERALL PICK OUT OF IOWA, MADE THE CUT. WHENEVER YOU COME INTO A TEAM LIKE THIS WHO ARE BACK TO BACK WORLD CHAMPIONS, YOU KNOW YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT YOUR ODDS ARE GOING TO BE. AND SO I WAS I WAS REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF. AND I WAS REALLY HAPPY THAT I, YOU KNOW, GAVE MYSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE TEA
Kate Martin suffers leg injury in Las Vegas Aces loss
Former Hawkeye great Kate Martin was injured Tuesday, early in the first quarter of her team’s game and did not return to action.Related video above: See former Hawkeyes star Kate Martin’s shocked reaction to Lisa Bluder’s retirementMartin, who spent five years at Iowa and was a key component of the team’s back-to-back Final Four trips in 2023 and 2024, is in the middle of her rookie year in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces. She has carved out a bench role for the two-time defending league champions, averaging 3.4 points per game off the bench across 23 appearances.Martin fell to the ground with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter Tuesday in the Aces’ home game against the Chicago Sky. She did not re-enter the game but did return to the bench to support her teammates.Las Vegas ultimately lost the game, 93-85.It’s unclear if Martin will miss further time. The team said she suffered a lower right leg injury.The Aces have a full month before their next game due to the league’s All-Star break coinciding with this year’s Olympics. Martin’s next chance to suit up will be Aug. 17 vs. the New York Liberty.
Former Hawkeye great Kate Martin was injured Tuesday, early in the first quarter of her team’s game and did not return to action.
Related video above: See former Hawkeyes star Kate Martin’s shocked reaction to Lisa Bluder’s retirement
Martin, who spent five years at Iowa and was a key component of the team’s back-to-back Final Four trips in 2023 and 2024, is in the middle of her rookie year in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces. She has carved out a bench role for the two-time defending league champions, averaging 3.4 points per game off the bench across 23 appearances.
Martin fell to the ground with 1:19 remaining in the first quarter Tuesday in the Aces’ home game against the Chicago Sky. She did not re-enter the game but did return to the bench to support her teammates.
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Las Vegas ultimately lost the game, 93-85.
It’s unclear if Martin will miss further time. The team said she suffered a lower right leg injury.
The Aces have a full month before their next game due to the league’s All-Star break coinciding with this year’s Olympics. Martin’s next chance to suit up will be Aug. 17 vs. the New York Liberty.