AP unanimously votes Iowa women's basketball star Caitlin Clark a Preseason All-American

AP unanimously votes Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark a Preseason All-American

The point guard is the first athlete in program history to receive this honor in three consecutive seasons.

October 24, 2023

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark goes up for a layup during an exhibition women’s basketball game between Iowa and Clarke University at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The matchup marks Iowa’s first game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the 23-24 season. Clark shot 9-of-13 in the paint. The Hawkeyes defeated the Pride, 122-49.

The Associated Press unanimously voted Iowa women’s basketball guard Caitlin Clark a Preseason All-American on Tuesday. The West Des Moines, Iowa, native is the first athlete in program history to receive this honor in three consecutive seasons.

Clark won the 2023 AP Player of the Year after recording 27.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.1 rebounds per game.

Earlier this month, Clark was voted 2023-24 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and named to the Nancy Lieberman Watch List, an award that recognizes the top point guard in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

Clark, who is unsure if she will return for a fifth season, is on track to break the all-time NCAA women’s basketball scoring record. The star is 811 points away from surpassing the current leader Kelsey Plum, who played for Washington and earned unanimous first-team All-American honors as well as National Player of the Year in 2017.

Clark and the Hawkeyes are coming off of a record-breaking season.

Iowa won the Big Ten Championship for the second straight season and made its first NCAA title game appearance. Clark registered just the third triple-double in Big Ten Tournament history and the first in a conference championship game with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists.

The Hawkeyes set Big Ten Tournament records with their 105 points, 33-point margin of victory, and .621 field-goal percentage in the title game against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

During Iowa’s deep run, Clark became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to score 40 points in back-to-back games when she dropped 41 in the Elite Eight against Louisville and the Final Four against undefeated South Carolina. She also set the record for most points in an NCAA tournament with 191, surpassing three-time Olympic gold medalist Sheryl Swoops.

Forward Angel Reese, who helped LSU defeat Iowa in the NCAA Championship, also earned Preseason All-American honors — she was named on 35 of the 36 ballots.

With just under two weeks before the season-opener, this year’s squad under head coach Lisa Bluder is already breaking records.

Clark and Co. attracted over 55,000 fans to Kinnick Stadium on Oct. 15 for an exhibiton game against DePaul. The Hawkeyes defeated the Blue Demons, 94-72, behind Clark’s triple-double with 34 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists.

Iowa will host its first regular season game against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m.

About the Contributors

Kenna Roering, Sports Editor

she/her/hers

Kenna Roering is The Daily Iowan's sports editor. She is a junior at the University of Iowa majoring in journalism with a minor in sports and recreation management. Kenna previously worked as a sports reporter for men's wrestling and volleyball and was the summer sports editor in 2023. This is her second year with the DI.

Grace Smith, Senior photojournalist and filmmaker

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Grace Smith is a fourth-year student at the University of Iowa double majoring in Journalism and Cinematic Arts. In her four years at The Daily Iowan, she has held the roles of photo editor, managing summer editor, and visual storyteller. Outside of The Daily Iowan, Grace has held an internship at The Denver Post and pursued freelance assignments for the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the Des Moines Register.