If you’re from Iowa and haven’t been living under a rock, you know the name Caitlin Clark. 

Clark is a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team who has showcased herself as one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. That’s players. Period. Not women’s, not men’s, just players. 

This season, Clark has averaged the third most points per game in Division I  basketball with 27.3 and leads the league in assists per game at 8.6. 

Along with putting up incredible individual stats, Clark has led the Hawks to back to back Big Ten tournament wins and has led the team to the Final Four of this year’s NCAA Tournament, the first time the Hawks have been back in 30 years. 

The most impressive performance for Clark this season was in the Elite Eight against Louisville where she recorded the first ever 40 point triple double in NCAA tournament history. Again, that’s history. Not men’s history, not women’s history. Just history. Period. 

On March 29, Clark was announced as the Naismith Player of the Year, this award goes out to the best male and female collegiate basketball players. Clark is the second Iowa women’s basketball player to earn this honor since Megan Gustafson in 2019.

Through her game and character off of the court, Clark has inspired many young girls to become not only better basketball players, but better people. 

Clark is helping out the community by teaming up with the Coralville Community Food Pantry. Clark is asking that basketball players and fans make a 22 dollar donation to the pantry between March 22 and April 22. Clark is an excellent example that your character is not just made up through athletics, but also your work outside of the sport.

Friday night, Clark and the Hawkeyes will face off against the reigning NCAA champions, South Carolina. South Carolina comes into this game with a perfect record of 36-0, while the Hawkeyes come in 30-6.

No matter the outcome of Friday’s game, Clark’s performance and season will go down in history as one of the greatest basketball fans have ever witnessed. And that’s basketball fans. Not men’s basketball, not women’s basketball, just basketball, because what we’re witnessing is greatness in the making. Period.