IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark was named a Naismith Trophy Finalist on Tuesday. 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, symbolic of the most outstanding players in men’s and women’s college basketball.
This season, Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 900 points, 245 rebounds, 290 assists, and 45 steals. She has registered +25 points, +5 rebounds, and +5 assists in 17 games this year and 39 times in her career which is the most in NCAA women’s basketball history.
Against teams that are top 26 in the NET Rankings, Clark picks it up a notch averaging 29.6 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 7.1 rpg.
Most recently, Clark led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back home victories in the NCAA Tournament against Southeastern Louisiana and Georgia. Against SELA, registered 26 points (9-14 FG), 12 assists, and seven rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Against the Lady Bulldogs, she played all 40 minutes, netting 22 points (4-10 3FG), 12 assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Clark was also responsible for 31 of Iowa’s 33 second half points.
Clark is leading the nation’s best offense with 26.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 8.6 apg. She also paces the country with four triple-doubles this season. Clark accounts for 52% of Iowa’s offensive output in points and assists.
She currently leads Division I in several statistical categories including assists per game, three pointers made (115), and triple doubles (4). She has scored 30 or more points in 10 games, including a pair of 40-point games. Clark broke all of the junior single season records in scoring and assists. She also became the single season leader in Big Ten history in dimes.
The West Des Moines, Iowa, native also was recognized as Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season as well as The Athletic National Player of the Year. She was also a unanimous Associated Press and All-Big Ten First Teamer. Today she was recognized as the CSC Academic All-America of the Year.
Clark and the 2-Seeded Hawkeyes are set to play 6-Seed Colorado on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) inside Climate Pledge Arena in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in the Seattle Regional. The game will broadcast coast-to-coast on ESPN.