Caitlin Clark wins Naismith College Player of the Year

Published: Mar. 29, 2023 at 3:13 PM CDT
Email This Link
Share on Pinterest
Share on LinkedIn

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - After a dominating year, Iowa Hawkeye’s junior guard Caitlin Clark has won the Naismith College Player of the Year award.

Clark was the clear front-runner for the award and cemented herself as the deserved winner at Sunday’s game against Louisville - when she became the first player in Men’s or Women’s NCAA tournament history to have a 40-point triple-double.

She’s the first player in Division I history to tally 900+ points and 300+ assists in a single season. She’s also the first player to ever record a triple-double in a Big Ten Tournament Championship. Clark is also the only player in Big Ten Conference history to be top-10 in all-time assists and scoring.

“Winning this award is a huge accomplishment,” Clark said. “This is such a huge honor for our family and program. None of this would be possible without my tremendous support system. I was to thank Lisa Bluder and her staff for giving me the opportunity to play basketball at the University of Iowa. It is place I have thrived in since I stepped on campus.”

This award will be added to other superlatives she’s earned - having been voted 2023 Big Ten Player of the Year by the coaches and media, and ESPN’s midseason National Player of the Year, to name a few.

2023 Naismith Player of the Year trophy
2023 Naismith Player of the Year trophy(KCRG)

And she’s not done yet.

Clark and the Hawks will take on the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in what is expected to be one of the most viewed matchups in college women’s basketball history. If they can pull off the upset, the Hawks will play on Sunday for an NCAA title.

You can watch the announcement below: