SAN FRANCISCO — A familiar face to Iowa Hawkeye fans is on the move after being selected in the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft Friday night.
Kate Martin, originally drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round of the 2024 WNBA Draft, was picked with the Golden State Valkyries' 6th selection.
In her 2024 season with the Aces, Martin was the only rookie to score for the team as she continued to build her playing time each game. She averaged 2.6 points per game, 1.6 rebounds per game and 36% 3-point shooting.
In her time at Iowa where she was nicknamed "The Glue" by Coach Lisa Bluder, she became the first Hawkeye women's player to collect 900+ points, 400+ assists, 120+ steals and 60+ blocks in a career.
For the expansion draft, the Valkyries were able to select a player from every other team in the league. Each team was able to exempt six of its players from the potential of getting nabbed by the Valkyries, but the Aces did not protect Martin from being selected.
Following her selection by the Valkyries, Martin expressed excitement in being part of building a new team.
"I'm very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there," Martin said in an interview on ESPN. "But I'm really excited for this new beginning and to build something from the ground up here with the Valkyries."
The Valkyries are based in San Francisco at the Chase Center which is also home to the NBA's Golden State Warriors.
The Las Vegas Aces issued the following statement after the selection of Kate Martin by Golden State:
The Aces Organization first and foremost would like to thank Kate Martin for all of her hard work and dedication to the team this past year. We are proud of Kate and the impact she has made as a member of the Aces team. Although we are sad to see her leave, being selected by Golden State shows the value Kate possesses in this league, and we all wish her nothing but the best as she continues her career with the Valkyries. As with anyone who has been a member of this historic franchise, once an Ace, always an Ace, and Kate will always be a member of the Las Vegas Aces family.