Clark again named player of the year
Coach of the year goes to Gamecocks’ Staley
Caitlin Clark is capping her illustrious college career with another record-breaking season and another set of prestigious awards.
The star guard from Iowa was honored Thursday as The Associated Press Player of the Year in women’s basketball for the second consecutive year.
Clark received 35 votes from the 36-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Cameron Brink of Stanford received the other vote. Voting was done before March Madness began.
The 22-year-old Clark is the sixth player to win the award more than once and fifth to do it in consecutive seasons.
The NCAA Division I career scoring leader set numerous records while helping Iowa reach the Final Four for a second consecutive season. A semifinal matchup with UConn awaits Friday night in Cleveland.
Clark’s play with her logo-depth 3-pointers and dazzling passes has captured the hearts of fans who showed up by the thousands wearing her No. 22 jersey whether Iowa was at home or on the road all season.
“I think that’s the best part about what I get to do. I grew up having those role models and aspiring to be where I am today,” Clark said. “It’s super special to see your impact not only in the state of Iowa but across the country . ... To be able to have that impact on the next generation is really special, and you just hope to dream and aspire to be like you one day and chase after all their dreams.”
Opposing coaches have called her a generational talent and tried to stifle her creativity and scoring, but she averaged 31.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during the regular season to help Iowa go 29-4 and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dawn Staley did a masterful job guiding a young South Carolina team back to the Final Four with an undefeated record for the second straight season.
Staley was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s college basketball Coach of the Year for the second time. She received 27 votes from the 35-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. She also won the award in 2020.
Staley joins an elite group of coaches that includes Geno Auriemma (9), Muffet McGraw (4), Kim Mulkey (3) and Brenda Frese (2) who have won the AP award multiple times since it was first given in 1995.
Lindsay Gottlieb of Southern California, Felisha Legette-Jack of Syracuse and Scott Rueck of Oregon State tied for second with two votes each. Voting was done before the NCAA Tournament.
VAN LITH TO TRANSFER: LSU guard Hailey Van Lith is in the transfer portal for the second consecutive season.
Van Lith averaged 11.6 points and 3.6 assists in her first and only season with the Tigers, who saw their season end on Monday with a loss to Iowa in the Elite Eight.
She was eligible to declare for the draft, but also had the option to return for another season because of the extra year that was granted by the NCAA to athletes whose freshmen season was affected by the pandemic.
Van Lith starred at Louisville her first three years, leading the Cardinals to the Final Four in 2022. Louisville lost in the Elite Eight last year before she decided to transfer to LSU.
She was one of the biggest names in the portal last season and is again now.