“I’m a bit of a bandwagon Phillies fan now.” This casual statement by Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark unraveled a deeper bond that goes beyond the hardwood. These words reflect the star’s unwavering relationship with her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery. It also provides a lighthearted nod to Connor’s lifelong love for baseball and the Philadelphia Phillies. But what started as a simple allegiance gradually drew Caitlin Clark into its embrace. And soon enough, the star found herself in the commentator’s seat for the Phillies.

“I messed up a few times,” Caitlin Clark said. “That’s a hard gig. And also, I was out of breath and exhausted, so shoutout to all the commentators out there. I did it for like two minutes, and I needed a break.” Clark shared her experience as a play-by-play broadcaster for the Phillies during her rookie season in the W. But no one could have predicted the latest update in the McCaffery household.

Amid the Indiana Fever’s first-ever Commissioner’s Cup victory and the ongoing MLB playoffs, came some unexpected news. Connor McCaffery shared an Instagram story about his father, and head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Fran McCaffery. The poster was originally shared by the official Penn Men’s basketball account and read, “Catch Coach McCaffery’s ceremonial first pitch this Sunday as the Phils take on Cincinnati. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15 PM!”

This is a huge moment for the McCaffery household as Fran McCaffery, who has coached Iowa for nearly 15 years now, will be stepping into a completely different role on this upcoming Sunday. He will set foot on the diamond pitch and get the ball rolling on the Philadelphia Phillies’ turf at Citizens Bank Park, ahead of their game against the Cincinnati Reds.

The first pitch is a baseball tradition where a guest is expected to throw a baseball towards the home plate, often to a player or a mascot. For the uninitiated, this gesture is a symbol to honor the guest and does not count as a part of the gameplay. Moreover, the list of invited guests often involves celebrities, veteran MLB players, well-known coaches belonging to the sporting world, or notable figures regardless of the industry.

The recently appointed Penn coach also shared a heartfelt message to his alma mater.

Head Coach Fran McCaffery expresses gratitude to his alma mater

It has been a year of highs and lows for Fran McCaffery. In a shocking turn of events, the legendary coach parted ways with the Iowa Hawkeyes. Having been at the helm for close to 15 years, some cracks had started to show up lately, with the team faltering in recent years. So it was decided that both McCaffery and the Hawkeyes needed a fresh start. There were rumours that the 66-year-old coach may decide to call it a day and enjoy some retirement time. But these were quickly debunked.

College basketball Insider and CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein shared a short clip on X (formerly Twitter) featuring an interview of Fran McCaffery while he was still at Iowa. The post was captioned, “Fran McCaffery never thought about retiring after his time ended at Iowa.” In the clip, Rothstein is seen asking McCaffery, “Was there ever a thought in your mind that you were going to retire from coaching after Iowa?” McCaffery, without skipping a beat, answered, “Not at all. Never. And I made that known to everybody in the profession.”

So what’s next for McCaffery? Well, he’s going back to where it all began: Penn, his alma mater. In the interview, McCaffery further talks about how difficult it is to get a job at top basketball programs in the country. “You know what it’s like, Jon, in the spring, the jobs are open- you’re looking here, you’re looking there,” Fran said.”What’s a good fit? What are they looking for? What am I looking for? I knew I wanted to coach, and once Penn became available, I know that I wanted to be here.”

On joining Penn, he spoke about his pride in coaching at his alma mater and also extended his heartfelt gratitude for their trust in him. “I take great pride in coming back to my alma mater and trying to do something special,” the HC added. “Because I believe in what this place stands for. So, I am thankful every day that I get to come here and work with this group.”

Fran was a standout guard for the Penn Quakers between 1979-82, earning the moniker ‘White Magic’ for his exceptional performances. He graduated from Penn in ’82 and also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

As Fran looks at the ceremonial first pitch on Sunday, life has come full circle for the head coach. And just like that, another cycle begins for Fran McCaffery; this time at his old play yard.