Caitlin Clark initially committed to play for Notre Dame before having a change of heart and decided to play for Iowa.

NCAA’s all-time leading scorer Caitlin Clark admitted that she had pre-call fright before deciding to play for the Iowa Hawkeyes over Notre Dame.

The 22-year-old said in an interview with ABC’s Full Court Press that she initially committed to the Fighting Irish women’s basketball program before eventually choosing to play with the Hawkeyes.

Clark recalled fearing how her parents and Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw would react to her sudden change of heart.

“I just knew like — something wasn’t sitting right with me. So, I tell my parents, and I’m like, ‘I think I’m gonna switch to Iowa.’ Which was hard, like, I was scared.’

“I’m 17 years old and now I have to call Coach McGraw and tell her that I’m not coming. I remember sitting in my bed, and I’m like sweating. I’m like, ‘Oh, this is so bad.’ But I really loved the idea of being close to home,” Clark said.

The player who would break Pete Maravich’s all-time NCAA Division I scoring record encompassing all genders added that she was driven to play for the Fighting Irish because of religion and her admiration for McGraw.

“It’s a lot of pressure having to choose and decide where you’re going to spend four years of your life.

“We’re Catholic and every person, like, idolizes Notre Dame. Like, that’s just what you do. I told Muffet McGraw, one of the greatest coaches of all time, that I’m gonna play for her,” she said.

Iowa coach celebrates Caitlin Clark’s decision to commit to the Hawkeyes

Clark’s decision to decommit to Notre Dame for Iowa made coach Lisa Bluder the happiest person in the world.

The 63-year-old bench tactician celebrated with her husband in a restaurant when Clark called her and said that she was committing to play for the Hawkeyes.

“I was at a restaurant eating with my husband. When she called, I stepped outside to take the phone call. I tried to hold it down a little bit, but then I went back in and we ordered a bottle of champagne,” Bluder said.

The change of heart seemed to have benefitted Clark and Iowa, as she went on to help the Hawkeyes gain back-to-back national championship appearances and changed the trajectory of women’s basketball in the collegiate ranks.

Clark, who was picked No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA Draft, is setting her sights on bringing her talents to the next level.

After scoring 21 points in a loss to the Dallas Wings, Clark had a fine outing in the Fever’s final preseason game against the Atlanta Dream on Friday,

She tallied 12 points on 4-of-12 shooting, eight rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes for Indiana, who beat the Dream, 83-80.

Clark will play her first WNBA game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m.,ET with ESPN+ and ESPN2 covering the game live.

Will Caitlin Clark help the Indiana Fever win their first game in the WNBA this season? Let’s know in the comments section below.