Indiana Fever rookie and former Iowa star Caitlin Clark was named the 2024 Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and has now accepted the CWSA Honda Cup for the second consecutive year.
In receiving the award Monday night, Clark became just the fourth athlete in the history of the honor to win it multiple times. She joined four-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Maya Moore, three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Tracy Caulkins, and softball standout and 2020 Tokyo silver medalist Rachel Garcia.
“I think it’s pretty special. I know how important this award and how many great people have come before me.” Clark said in the CBS Sports broadcast. “Maya more was my idol growing up. So now to be on the same list as her is absolutely incredible. I was very fortunate in my college career.”
Clark was not in attendance but her former coaches at Iowa Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen were in New York to accept the award on her behalf.
“It doesn’t happen without those two there,” Clark said of her former coaches. “The rest of our coaching staff, but also the teammates I had through the years, they kind of let me be myself but also I wouldn’t have gotten to the point I got to if it wasn’t for them. It’s just really special. This award definitely means a lot. Like I said, it’s a first class award.”
The other finalists for this year’s Honda Cup were gymnast Haleigh Bryant, softball player NiJaree Canady and volleyball player Madisen Skinner.
“Congratulations to all of you, especially the finalists,” Clark added. “I’m a big fan of all of you. I watch as much women’s sports just as much as anybody, so congratulations.”
Other notable winners in the past include seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky in 2017, three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker in 2008 and South Carolina’s Hall-of-Fame head coach Dawn Staley in 1999.
