IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s basketball freshman Caitlin Clark was named the USBWA Tamika Catchings Freshman Player of the Week, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced Tuesday.
It is Clark’s fourth USBWA freshman award of the season, tying Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers for the most freshman of the week honors since the award’s inception. It is also the third straight USBWA freshman honor for Clark. She previous won the award on Jan. 5, Feb. 16, and Feb. 23.
In three games last week, Clark averaged 26.3 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. She also added three blocks, three steals, and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line.
Against No. 8 Maryland, Clark posted 29 points in the first half to break the program’s all-time freshman scoring record. She finished the game with 34 points, marking her fifth consecutive and NCAA-leading ninth game this season scoring 30 or more points. Her nine 30-point games are believed to be the most by an NCAA Division I freshman since 2000. Clark made a career-best nine 3-pointers, the most for a Hawkeye since Melissa Dixon registered nine at Northwestern on Jan. 29, 2015. Clark finished the game with seven assists, three rebounds, and a steal.
After a five-hour delay, Clark led the Hawkeyes to a win over 12th-ranked Michigan on Feb. 25. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native netted 27 points, dished out nine assists, and grabbed five rebounds. She was 7-for-12 (.583) from 3-point range and 10-for-17 (.588) from the field.
In Iowa’s final game of the week at Wisconsin, Clark recorded her seventh career double-double, knocking down 18 points and dishing out a career-high 14 assists. Clark broke the Iowa women’s basketball all-time freshman assist record. She has 149 on the season, surpassing former Hawkeye Kathleen Doyle, who recorded 148 during the 2016-17 season. Clark added seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
Clark was named the Big Ten Player and the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Monday. Her five Player of the Week nods as a freshman are a Big Ten Record. Clark’s 12 Freshman of the Week honors are also a conference record.
Clark leads the nation in total points, recording 564 on the season. She ranks second in assists (149), assists per game (7.1), points per game (26.9), 3-pointers made (82), triple-doubles (1), and 3-point field goal attempts (202).
She ranks in the top-50, nationally, in seven additional statistical categories, including third in field goals made (188) and 3-pointers per game (3.9), eighth in field goal attempts (394), 17th in free throws made (106), 28th in free throw attempts (125), 44th in 3-point percentage (40.6), and 45th in free-throw percentage (84.8).
Clark has also been named a Naismith Player of the Year semifinalist, a Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year finalist, a Dawn Staley Late Season Watch List honoree, and a World Exposure Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year semifinalist.
The Hawkeyes travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on the No. 10/11 Hoosiers on Wednesday, March 3 inside Assembly Hall. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network.
