ARLINGTON, Texas — More than two hours before a sold-out Indiana Fever vs. Dallas Wings game began, fans lined up outside of UT Arlington’s College Park Center.
Fans were excited to witness Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever.
Carissa and Chloe Cowan, twin sisters, were among the first fans to enter the arena. They made special signs to cheer Clark on.
“She’s very inspiring and motivating for us to get like her one day,” Carissa said.
The Cowan sisters, who both play basketball, admire Clark’s extreme range and accuracy of her 3-point jumper.
“She can do it all, she’s changed basketball for women,” Chloe said.
Clark, the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 2024 WNBA draft drew young fans from out-of-state for her first WNBA game in Arlington.
Sisters Zoey and Amara Hightower rode six hours from New Mexico to see her play.
“She’s just a good sport about everything, she’s really nice… good at basketball,” Zoey said.
Delilah Williams and her daughter Jimmie Leigh took a four-hour road trip for the game.
As Clark stepped onto the court to warm up, Leigh began tearing up.
“Seeing her actually in person, it was so overwhelming,” Williams said.
Williams, who coaches her daughter, said the admiration young fans feel for Clark goes beyond her skills on the court.
“She’s just awesome, she has a great attitude,” Leigh said.
The Dallas Wings defeated the Indiana Fever 79-76.
Following Friday night’s preseason opener, Clark and her teammates will play in front of her new home crowd for the first time on Friday, May 10. It’ll be the final preseason game for the Fever.