All-time NCAA leading women’s scorer: 3,527 points. All-time NCAA leading scorer: 3,650 points. These are the records that Caitlin Clark has broken during her senior year at the University of Iowa. She has captivated the nation by drawing attention to college women’s basketball and inspiring young girls and players all over the nation. However, she has also endeared herself to the nation by supporting her teammates and willingly sharing the limelight.
Clark grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she played on recreational and travel teams throughout her childhood. Her talent far surpassed that of her teammates, a fact evident from the beginning of her career. By the time she entered middle school, she was playing on boy’s AAU teams to expand her skills and seek greater challenges. During her high school years, she played for Team USA while receiving offers from many colleges, including the University of Iowa, Duke University, Iowa State, and many others.
Throughout her time at Iowa, she has broken numerous records and has helped place the team in the spotlight. She currently holds the title of NCAA all-time leading women’s scorer and has led her conference in assists for four consecutive seasons. She is the ideal player in the basketball world, as she is able to take criticism and apply it in her game. It’so wonder she is considered one of the best!
Her legacy far exceeds the basketball world of Iowa and has made its way across the country. Junior Shelby Ruf explained that due to Caitlin Clark, women’s sports have garnered more attention in general and have increased the normality of women’s sports in the media. Ruf highlighted how younger generations are following in Clark’s footsteps, fostering greater hope for the widespread appreciation of women’s basketball and sports.
On February 29, Clark announced that she will be entering the WNBA Draft and that this would be her last year at the University of Iowa. There is no doubt that she will continue to be a trailblazer in the WNBA. Nevertheless, she has forged a path to inspire the youth of the nation to dream big and reach for the stars.
