CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two teams that competed in the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four will open their seasons in Charlotte this fall.
The Charlotte Sports Foundation announced Wednesday that Iowa and Virginia Tech will face off in the Ally Tip-Off game on Nov. 9 at the Spectrum Center. It will be the first game for both teams in their 2023-24 campaigns.
Iowa made it to the NCAA Championship before losing 105-82 to LSU. Virginia Tech 79-72 to LSU in the Final Four.
The Hawkeyes will be led by senior guard Caitlin Clark, who is a two-time first-team All-American and was selected as the 2023 AP Player of the Year. In 2023, Clark ranked second in the nation with 27.7 points and led the NCAA with 8.6 assists per game.
Overall, the Hawkeyes had the highest-scoring offense in the 2022-23 season.
The Hokies, meanwhile, are led by two-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, who announced in April that she is returning for a fifth season. Kitley is Virginia Tech's all-time leading scorer.
The Ally Tip-Off game is just the start of marquee college basketball matchups hosted in the Queen City. The Spectrum Center will host the first two rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in April 2024.