When most people think about basketball, they gravitate towards the men’s league, but this year, the women’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) league has been recognized for its amazing team and players. One player, in particular, is senior Caitlin Clark. This past season was Clark’s last year playing on the University of Iowa’s women’s basketball team, and she has left a huge impact on the college sport for women.
As Clark started her high school basketball career at Dowling Catholic High School, she started to develop her skills and grow as a player. During her high school career, Clark made a state record of 13 3-pointers on 17 attempts, scoring 60 points, which is another one of the state records. This put Clark way ahead of her competition as a high school athlete, leading her to be a consecutive five-star prospect and receiving attention from almost every major program.
In 2020, Clark committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes to play for their women’s basketball team. For regular watchers of the team, many knew of her talent from the start of her college career. There’s a long list of records that Clark has broken, but there are two that have put her on the map: breaking the NCAA single-player three-point record for any gender, along with becoming the highest-scoring player in college women’s basketball history after scoring her 3,650th point, surpassing Lynette Woodward.
Before Clark had broken the NCAA single-player three-point record for any gender record, National Basketball Association (NBA) player Steph Curry was once the placeholder. Curry’s signature shot is the three-pointer. Many say he can do it in his sleep, so when fans, along with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA players, found out this news, it was a shock to all. A three-pointer is one of the harder shots to make in basketball due to how far away the player is from the basket. So, for Clark to be able to beat that record at such a young age is incredible. She has proven to her opponents that she has had enough practice and built up her talent for the WNBA and is a force to be reckoned with.
All of the records and achievements Clark has made to finish off her college career have put her higher on the pedestal for the upcoming WNBA draft. The draft for the WNBA is on Monday, April 15. and Clark is the number one pick. There’s no surprise why this is. She has shown over the years of playing against amazing teams and players that she is capable of doing the impossible.
Overall, Clark is an all-around amazing basketball player. From flawless passes to the swoosh of the basket, Clark is what many call her “Greatest of All Time” (G.O.A.T.). This isn’t the end of Clark’s journey, it’s the start of her legacy.
