Caitlin Clark is keeping her collection of trophies growing.
The Iowa women’s basketball standout won her second consecutive Naismith National Player of the Year award, which was unveiled on Wednesday in Cleveland at Browns Stadium. She has smashed records left and right this year.
“It has been such a special year for women’s basketball, so to win this award is really special. But to be back here (at the Final Four) to be playing with my team, I couldn’t script it any better …. This is just as much yours as it is mine …. I’m just very grateful and thankful and I will see you Friday night.”
Clark became the eighth different Division I women’s collegiate basketball player to win the award in back-to-back seasons.
Clark is expected to be selected as the first overall pick in this month’s WNBA draft.
The native of West Des Moines thus becomes one of the notable individuals who have done so, including Cheryl Miller (1984–1986), Dawn Staley (1991–1992), Chamique Holdsclaw (1998–99), Diana Taurasi (2003–04), Seimone Augustus (2005–06), Brittney Griner (2012–13), and Breanna Stewart (2014–16).
In the NCAA Tournament this year, Clark is averaging 32.3 points per game as she tries to guide Iowa to its first-ever national championship.
In the Final Four, Iowa will play No. 3 seed UConn on Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
