IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa sophomore Caitlin Clark and freshman Addison O’Grady were named Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player and Freshman of the Week, respectively, the conference announced Monday. Clark shares the Player of the Week honor with Michigan’s Naz Hillmon.
Clark has tallied 25-career Big Ten weekly honors – 13 freshman, seven player and five honor roll. O’Grady earned the first Big Ten honor of her career this week.
Clark, a Des Moines, Iowa, native registered a career-high 44 points in the Hawkeyes’ win over Evansville on Sunday, breaking the Carver-Hawkeye Arena record that had stood for nearly 22 years. Former Hawkeye Amy Harrig previously held the record, scoring 42 points against Northwestern on Feb. 14, 1999. Clark added to her stat line, dishing eight assists, pulling down five rebounds and tallying two steals on the day.
With 5:04 left in the first quarter, Clark broke the 1,000-career point barrier, becoming the fastest Big Ten women’s basketball athlete and the eighth NCAA athlete to meet the mile marker in 40 games or less. Ohio State’s Kelsey Mitchell previously held the record with 1,000 in 41 games during the 2016-17 season. Clark is only the second NCAA athlete in the last 25 years to tally 1,000 points in 40 games or less — Delaware’s Elena Delle Donne did it in 38 games (2011-12).
O’Grady earns her first Big Ten weekly honor after registering her first career double-double in the Hawkeyes’ win. The Aurora, Colorado, native tallied season-best points (14) and rebounds (12), shot 70 percent from the field and blocked two shots.
Clark, O’Grady and the Hawkeyes return to action Thursday, Jan. 6 in a home matchup against Northwestern inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tip is set for 7 p.m. (CT) on B1G Network.