The journey has been a long one for former Edwardsville girls basketball standout Kate Martin, from redshirt freshman to becoming “the glue” at an NCAA program bound for the Final Four.

On Friday night, the Iowa Hawkeyes, led by Martin and her superstar roommate Caitlin Clark, take on Connecticut with advancement to the National Championship game in Cleveland at stake.

Martin, a 2018 graduate of Edwardsville High School, and the Hawkeyes, whose dreams were dashed by LSU last year in the national championship game, eliminated the Tigers on Monday in the Elite Eight to return to the Final Four. For Martin’s parents, Matt and Jill Martin, witnessing their daughter reach back-to-back Final Fours has been an amazing experience.

“It’s been a whirlwind for sure and we’re trying to make the most of it,” said Matt Martin, the former football coach at Edwardsville. “We’re guaranteed one more game and, at best, two more and it’s over. We’ve been taking kids from volleyball basketball, football games since thy were knee-high and now this is it.

“It’s crazy how time flies.”

Kate Martin, a 6-foot forward and the Belleville News-Democrat’s Player of the Year in 2018, has been superb on the court for Iowa this season, averaging 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. She was named to the All-Big Ten Conference Second Team.

In the finals of the Albany Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena, Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kate Martin (20) controls the ball against LSU Lady Tigers forward Angel Reese (10) in the second quarter. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Martin became the 43rd Hawkeye to score 1,000 career points, the 32nd Iowa women’s basketball player to grab 500 rebounds, and the 10th player in Iowa women’s basketball history to log 400 career assists.

“I just like the person that she’s become,” Matt said. “She’s not really changed. She’s still Kate. She’s still working hard. She’s adulting and she’s she’s achieving her goals and accomplishing her dreams and it’s fun to see all that hard work pay off.”

In the last two seasons, Martin has risen as a pivotal figure for the Hawkeyes, alongside Clark, who holds the NCAA Division I scoring record and shares road accommodations with Martin.

Their robust personalities have cultivated a deep connection both on and off the court. According to Matt, they bring out each other’s finest qualities. In a profile by the Big Ten Network, Clark hailed Martin as “the ultimate leader and teammate I’ve ever known.”

“From what I see is I think there’s mutual respect and admiration because Caitlin’s strengths might not be Kate’s strengths and Kate’s strengths might not be Caitlin’s strengths and I think they see that,” Matt said. “They’re wise enough to see that they’re much better as a unit when they work together. They butt heads sometimes but that’s because they’re competitive and I have a twin brother, so I know what it’s like to butt heads with somebody and still love them.”

Jill said that Kate is definitely looking to stay in basketball after she is finished with graduate school at Iowa.

“If the WNBA wants her for a team, she would love to try out and love to be a part of that,” Jill said. “If not, she’s talked about possibly playing overseas or finding a coaching job somewhere at the college level.

“I don’t worry about that girl. I know she’s gonna do something so it will be related to basketball for sure.”

Before that happens, Matt and Jill will get to see Kate play at least one more game on Friday as an Iowa Hawkeye. They feel that the Hawkeyes will be ready to go in the semifinals against UConn.

“I think I like our chances and I think we’re good enough to best any team in the tournament,” Matt said. “It’s a gauntlet and you can’t have an off night and you gotta come ready to go and you gotta perform well.”