Who is Iowa's record-breaking NCAA basketball superstar Caitlin Clark?
A year on from their defeat in the championship game to LSU, Clark helped Iowa exact revenge, starring with a game-high 41 points in a fierce contest. She will have her eyes firmly on winning the Championship this weekend.
The guard has been setting record after record in college basketball. Earlier this season, she overtook Pete Maravich for most career points in Division 1 basketball amongst men or women.
Clark is shining a new light on women's basketball, which is emphasised by the recent viewership numbers.
The match-up between Iowa and LSU racked up 12.3 million viewers, which was more than any women's college basketball game, as well as the 2023 NBA Finals and the 2023 World Series.
The American has the world at her feet and is destined for massive things. She is already a superstar guard and a relentless point scorer, and her pulling power is grabbing the attention of millions of fans
This is Clark's final year in college basketball, as she is set to participate in the WNBA draft. She is projected to be the first pick and join the Indiana Fever.
“I knew in my heart here that what we’ve been able to do is so special, and that it’s not over yet, but I think I’m ready for the next chapter in my life, too,” she said.
But when did it all start for Clark?
In 2020, during her freshman year at Iowa, it was already clear to most that Clark was something special.
In a season in which she was named Freshman of the Year, she scored the most points and three-pointers, as well as having the most assists in the whole of the USA.
During her second season, she became the first NCAA women’s player to lead Division 1 in points per game (27) and assists per game (8).
Clark shone in stunning fashion during the 2023 women’s tournament. She was the first man or woman to reach 900 points and 300 assists during a season, while also putting up the incredible stat line of 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists. In doing this, she made her mark as the first player ever to record a 40-point triple-double in tournament history.
However, Iowa as a whole are yet to find success.
In 2021, the Hawkeyes fell at the Sweet 16 stage, and the following year, suffered a horrible loss in the second round to the 10th seed Creighton Bluejays.
Clark's performances in 2023 helped Iowa to the championship game, but they ended up falling short.
Clark was named national player of the year on Wednesday, which made her the first person to win it back-to-back since Breanna Stewart in 2016 for UConn. So on a personal level, it has been another hugely successful time for her.
However, she will now want glory on a team level. Her next goal is to help Iowa win their first-ever national championship.
All eyes will be on her this weekend as March Madness comes to an end. Already one of the greatest players in college basketball history, Clark can further cement herself in the history books.