Hawkeye fans are rushing to make travel plans to Carver-Hawkeye after Kate Martin’s No. 20 jersey retirement date was revealed! Iowa City — It’s official: Carver-Hawkeye Arena’s rafters will always display Kate Martin’s iconic No. 20 jersey. Martin’s jersey will be retired during a special halftime ceremony on Sunday, February 1, 2026, when the Hawkeyes play Big Ten rival Indiana, Iowa Athletics announced Wednesday.
One of the most poignant evenings in the history of the program is already beginning to take shape. Known as the team’s heartbeat during Iowa’s consecutive trips to the national championship game, Martin played for the Hawkeyes for six seasons. Martin was the leader, captain, and communicator who kept the machine running while Caitlin Clark made headlines with her scoring record.
In a statement, head coach Jan Jensen declared, “Kate Martin is the epitome of a Hawkeye.” Her leadership, passion for the game, and toughness permanently altered this program. There isn’t a more worthy individual in my opinion to receive this kind of recognition.
Fans are swarming social media to celebrate the news and make travel plans to Iowa City as the February 1 game is already predicted to sell out. Within minutes of the announcement, ticket searches for the matchup increased.
This moment feels personal to fans who followed Martin’s journey. After suffering an ACL tear and arriving in Iowa City as a redshirt freshman, she went on to become one of the country’s most admired athletes. She was one of the program’s most successful players and a three-year captain at the end of her career.
In a statement, Martin said, “This means everything to me.” I’ve lived in Iowa City for a very long time, and it’s there that I developed into the person I am today. It’s difficult to put into words the knowledge that No. 20 will always be up there. There should be a lot of drama in the game itself.
Indiana is the ideal location for a celebration of this size because it is still one of Iowa’s fiercest Big Ten rivals. For the ceremony, which will feature a video tribute, remarks from former teammates, and the official jersey unveiling, fans are being asked to arrive early. History suggests that Carver-Hawkeye will be rocking, and many fans will be crying.
