IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa sophomore Caitlin Clark and senior Monika Czinano were named to the Preseason Naismith Award, Wade Trophy and John R. Wooden Award watch lists, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and Los Angeles Athletic Club, respectively, announced Tuesday.
The Naismith Award list currently features 50 student-athletes and will be trimmed to 30 in February. Ten different conferences are represented on the prestigious watch list. Clark and Czinano are two of eight Big Ten student-athletes included.
The Wade Trophy — now in its 45th year — is the oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award in college women’s basketball. It is named in honor of the late, legendary Delta State University head coach Lily Margaret Wade, who won three consecutive national championships with the Lady Statesmen. First awarded in 1978 by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), now known as SHAPE America, the Wade Trophy has been presented to the WBCA NCAA Division I National Player of the Year since 2001. The list currently includes 30 student-athletes.
The 2022 John R. Wooden Award Women’s Player of the Year is voted on by nearly 1,000 voters, following the midseason, late season and National Ballot lists before ranking 10 of the final 15 student-athletes prior to the NCAA Tournament. The Wooden Award All-American Team™ will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the 2022 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy’s following the NCAA Tournament in April. There are 50 athletes currently are on the list.
The Big Ten Conference led the Wade Trophy list with 10 honorees, including Clark, Czinano, Indiana’s Grace Berger and Ali Patberg, Maryland’s Diamond Miller and Ashley Owusu, Michigan’s Leigh Brown and Naz Hillmon, Michigan State’s Nia Clouden, and Northwestern’s Veronica Burton. All but Patberg were also named to the Wooden Award Watch List. Berger, Burton, Clark, Czinano, Clouden, Hillmon, Miller, and Owusu were included on the Naismith list.
During her freshman campaign, Clark averaged 26.6 points, 7.1 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game in 30 games, setting the Iowa freshman record with 26.6 points per game recording the fourth-highest single season points per game in Iowa history, and was the 2020-21 NCAA Division I scoring leader.
The West Des Moines, Iowa, native was named national co-Freshman of the Year and first-team All-America by The Athletic, USBWA, and WBCA after leading the nation in total assists (214), total points (799), points per game (26.6), field goals made (266) and 3-pointers made (116), and ranked second in assists per game (7.1) and 3-pointers per game (3.87). She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned unanimous All-Big Ten honors.
In early August, Clark won her third gold medal with USA Basketball and was named the FIBA U19 World Cup Most Valuable Player. The USA Team Captain amassed 100 points, 39 assists, 37 rebounds, seven steals, and six blocks in seven contests.
Czinano finished last season leading the country in shooting percentage (66.8) and ranked second nationally, shooting 254-of-380 from the field. As a junior, Czinano averaged 19.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on the season. She scored in double figures during 28 contests, tabbing 11 20-point games — nine against conference opponents.
Clark, Czinano and the Hawkeyes open the 2021-22 season against New Hampshire on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tickets are $12 for adults and admission is free for youth (18 & younger) and UI students.