Iowa’s Caitlin Clark named Naismith National Player of the Year
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots a three-point basket over North Carolina State guard Saniya Rivers during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
(ABC 6 News) – Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was named Naismith National Player of the Year on Wednesday,
Clark beat out 2022 winner Aliyah Boston (South Carolina) and fellow finalists Maddy Siegrist (Villanova) and Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech).
Clark won the award two days before her Hawkeyes are slated to play the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks in the Final Four.
A junior guard, Clark’s averaged 27.3 points, 8.6 assists, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 39.2% from 3-point distance. She’s the nation’s third-leading scorer while her assists tally ranks best in the nation. She was named a unanimous selection to the AP All-America team on March 15, her second time earning first-team honors.
Clark leads the nation with five triple-doubles. She has 11 in her career which ranks second all-time behind ex-Oregon star Sabrina Ionescu (27).