U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley Labels Caitlin Clark 'American Sports Hero'

Since her career at the University of Iowa, Caitlin Clark has emerged as one of the most popular figures in American sports - and not just women's sports either. She's grown so popular and influential that one U.S. Senator is boldly dubbing her "an American sports hero."

It was longtime Iowa senator Chuck Grassley who took to X and said that he was taking a break to watch Clark play for the Indiana Fever today. He called on everyone to watch "an all American sports hero" from his state of Iowa and the University of Iowa perform on Saturday.

"I'm taking a break from farming 2watch Indiana fever professional women's basketball. I'm watching bc I am a follower of Caitlin Clark If u haven't followed Caitlin Clark u should she is an all American sports hero from right here in Iowa Caitlin was a star at the Univ of Iowa," Grassley wrote.

Grassley's followers weren't exactly impressed to see the Senator using his platform to talk about sports when there's work to be done in Washington D.C.

But the general message of Clark being great was felt by her fans:

"They're saying great things about this Caitlin Clark girl in Iowa," one user on X remarked.

"The Chuck Grassley effect," another wrote.

"Damn right!" wrote a third.

"The coveted Chuck Grassley endorsement."

The Caitlin Clark Effect

Caitlin Clark became one of the most influential stars in women's basketball history during her career at University of Iowa. Playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball from 2020 to 2024, Clark revolutionized the sport with her deep shooting range, elite passing, and high-scoring performances. She won multiple national player of the year awards, led Iowa to consecutive appearances in the NCAA championship game, and became the all-time leading scorer in major college basketball history, surpassing both men's and women's Division I records. Her exciting style and star power helped drive record television ratings and unprecedented national attention for women's college basketball.

Clark entered the WNBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft by the Indiana Fever and immediately became one of the league's biggest attractions. Her rookie season brought massive crowds, increased television audiences, and renewed mainstream attention to the WNBA. Since then, she has only continued to build momentum for herself and the sport.

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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 4:31 PM.