IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa women’s basketball sophomore Caitlin Clark was named a first team USBWA All-American, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association announced Thursday. The honor is the second of her career after earning first team USBWA All-America status as a freshman a year ago.
The USBWA has named a women’s All-America Team since the 1987-88 season. Since the 2017-18 season, the USBWA has expanded the team to honor 15 players on three teams, regardless of position. The All-America Team is selected by the USBWA board after voting from the entire membership and the honor is based on performance during the regular season and conference tournaments.
The Des Moines, Iowa, native leads the nation in assists per game (7.9), total assists (236), points per game (27.4), total points (821), free throws made (189), triple doubles (5) and 30-point games (11).
Clark registered five triple-doubles this season, leading the country in most career triple-doubles by an active player with six. Clark’s six career triple-doubles ties former Hawkeye Sam Logic’s Big Ten record (2011-15) for most in a career and ties for the fifth most single season (5) and career (6) triple-doubles in NCAA Division I history.
In January, Clark joined the likes of Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, James Hardin, Luka Dončić and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only NBA, WNBA, Division I men’s and women’s basketball to record back-to-back 30-point triple doubles since 2000. She is one of 10 women’s basketball players (15 times) to register back-to-back triple doubles in their careers — the only NCAA player (male or female) to do so with 30-plus points in the pair.
Clark broke the 1,000-career point barrier against Evansville in early January and became the fastest Division I player (men’s or women’s) to reach 1,500 career points over the last 20 seasons, reaching the feat in 56 games.
Clark set a career-high 46 points against No. 6 Michigan, registering her 12th double-double of the season with 10 assists and breaking her third women’s basketball arena scoring record. She now holds the scoring records at Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena (44), Michigan’s Crisler Center (46) and Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena (39).
Clark was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Tournament MVP, while earning unanimous first team All-Big Ten honors and an All-Big Ten Tournament spot. She was named a Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year finalist, Dawn Staley Award finalist, Naismith semifinalist and to the WBCA Wade Trophy Midseason Watch List and John R. Wooden Award National Ballot Top-15. She is a 2021-22 first team AP All-American and first team CoSIDA Academic All-American.