No. 6 Iowa women’s basketball superstar Caitlin Clark becomes Division Is all-time leading scorer
The GIST: As you read, No. 6 Iowa Hawkeye and generational talent Caitlin Clark broke the late “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old NCAA DI career scoring record in her final regular-season college game yesterday — yet another accomplishment to add to her mile-long list. Never a long shot.
How it happened: Compared to the logo three that broke the NCAA DI women’s career scoring record on February 15th, this historic shot was much less flashy: A sunk free throw pushed her past Maravich’s 3,667-point mark late in the first half of the Hawkeyes’ spicy 93–83 upset win over No. 2 Ohio State.
- Since Ohio State locked up the Big Ten regular-season title last Wednesday, Iowa’s Senior Day dub doesn’t change their postseason path. But it does build momentum heading into this week’s conference tourney, with a March Madness auto-bid up for grabs.
Her impact: Everyone from Clark’s rivals to the world’s cutest fans agrees that she’s leveled up the women’s game with her passion and skill. In her four years as a Hawkeye, this hometown girl put Iowa basketball on the map, drawing dollars, attention, and even the future talent to carry the program forward long after she’s turned pro.
- Her star power’s unmatched in the college game, women’s or men’s. Who else could bring MLB Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, rapper Travis Scott, women’s hoops legends Lynette Woodard and Maya Moore, and Jake from State Farm together in one electric crowd?
What’s next: After this season, Clark will head to April’s WNBA Draft, where she’ll likely be selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 overall pick (and no, she’ll probably not see an NIL pay cut). But first, she’ll be hunting the ultimate prize with her Hawkeyes: a national championship. Their postseason begins Friday, and from there, the sky’s the limit.
- No matter how Iowa fares in the NCAA tournament, you’ll likely see Clark on Final Four weekend as the women’s NCAA All-Star Game returns from an 18-year hiatus — another sign of the women’s game’s growth thanks to Clark and her similarly impactful peers.
