Unlike Rick Pitino, who hopes his son Richard will one day take over at St. John’s, the McCafferys are taking a different route. Connor McCaffery—Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend—has already forged his own path, continuing as an assistant coach at Butler with no lingering ties to Iowa. As he builds his coaching career elsewhere, his father is also preparing for a fresh start.
Former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery is set to take over at Penn, marking a homecoming for the 1982 Wharton graduate. After 15 seasons leading the Hawkeyes and previous stops at Lehigh, UNC Greensboro, and Siena, he brings a wealth of experience, including 12 NCAA tournament appearances—the most of any Ivy League coach at the time of hiring. The basketball world moves fast, and just like a well-timed fast break, change is unfolding in real time.
According to a recent post on X by Sam Federman, “BREAKING: Penn is nearing a deal with former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. A deal is ‘imminent,’ multiple sources told me.”
BREAKING: Penn is nearing a deal with former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. A deal is “imminent,” multiple sources told me.
— Sam Federman (@Sam_Federman) March 26, 2025
McCaffery’s departure from Iowa comes after a tough stretch for the Hawkeyes. Earlier this month, he was dismissed following a second consecutive season without an NCAA tournament berth. Despite the disappointing end, McCaffery exits as the winningest coach in program history, amassing 297 total victories.
The news of his firing sent ripples through the Iowa basketball community, prompting an outpouring of support from former players. Luka Garza, a former college standout and current Minnesota Timberwolves bench boss, paid tribute to McCaffery on social media—a message that Clark herself retweeted. “Thank you Coach for changing my life, and the lives of so many others,” Garza wrote. “You believed in a way that not many others did. Choosing to play in the black and gold was the best decision I have ever made for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I was able to be coached by you.”
Although the elder McCaffery had hinted, “I’m going to be coaching somewhere next year,” on the Betting Above The Rim podcast, the real destination remained a mystery—until now. At 66, he’s secured a return to his alma mater, a move that aligns with his vision of building a program rather than constantly rebuilding through the transfer portal.
“I want to have relationships with my guys… an administration that works closely with me,” McCaffery said, emphasizing his desire for stability, character-driven recruiting, and a fan base that fuels the program. And now, it seems that Penn State is the place for him.
More to Follow….
The post Insider Reveals Caitlin Clark’s Close Associate Set to Break Iowa Ties as Boyfriend Connor McCaffery Already Following His Own Path appeared first on EssentiallySports.
