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Clark named Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Semifinalist
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark was named to the 2023 Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Semifinalist on Thursday. Clark was a finalist for the award in 2022.
This season, Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 860 points, 235 rebounds, 265 assists, and 45 steals. She has registered +25 points, +5 rebounds, and +5 assists in 16 games this year and 38 times in her career which is the most in NCAA women’s basketball history.
Against teams that are top 26 in the NET Rankings, Clark picks it up a notch averaging 29.6 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 7.1 rpg. Iowa leads the nation in AP Top 10 victories with five.
Most recently, she became the first player in Big Ten Tournament Championship history to record a triple-double. Clark finished with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists, the latter figure is also a title-game record and second-most in any BTT game. Clark was subsequently voted the tournament’s Jim and Kitty Delany Most Outstanding Player by the media, becoming the third two-time recipient of the award.
Clark is leading the nation’s best offense with 27.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 8.3 apg. She also paces the country with four triple-doubles this season. Clark accounts for 52% of Iowa’s offensive output in points and assists.
The West Des Moines, Iowa, native also was recognized as Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She was also a unanimous All-Big Ten First Teamer.
The award’s four finalists will be announced on Tuesday, March 21. The Fan Vote to help narrow the list down to the final honoree will open Tuesday, March 21, and close Tuesday, March 28. The fan vote will account forR39;five percent of the overall final vote. The 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Player of the Year will be awarded on Wednesday, March 29 during the Women’s Final Four.
