Iowa star Caitlin Clark has transformed college sports over the last four years, setting records on the court, inspiring attendance and ratings milestones off the court, and becoming a pioneer of the NIL era. She has even made an impact on the collectibles industry.
She is widely expected to be selected first overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft on April 15.
More from Sportico.com
During his media availability on April 2 at the Final Four, UConn head coach Geno Auriemma was asked how he plans to stop Clark.
“We don’t,” he said. “We don’t plan on stopping her.”
Iowa ended UConn’s season 71-69 on Friday behind 21 points from Clark. Her career ended Sunday with a 30-point effort in an 87-75 loss to unbeaten South Carolina in the NCAA championship game.
While Clark has become a media darling and a staple of TV commercials, it’s important to remember why that happened, using some numbers from her illustrious career.
2: The number of players in women’s college basketball since 2000 to enter the Final Four leading their team in points, rebounds, assists and steals (she’s tied for the lead in blocks). The first player, Maya Moore, a former UConn player and Clark’s idol, accomplished that feat in the 2010-11 season. Clark is the other.
2: The number of players in women’s college basketball in the last 10 seasons who averaged at least 30 points per game in a single season. Clark, averaging 32 a game in 2023-24, joins Kelsey Plum, who averaged 31.7 for Washington in 2016-17.
3: The number of women’s college basketball records Clark broke during Iowa’s Elite Eight win over LSU. The marks were for the most career 3-pointers in Division I, and the most career 3-pointers and career assists in the NCAA Tournament.
28: The number of points Clark averaged over her career. What’s even more remarkable is that she averaged the same number of points at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa as she did on the road.
1,234: Clark’s NCAA single-season women’s scoring record. She bettered Plum’s previous mark of 1,109 set in the 2016-17 season.
3,951: Clark’s career NCAA scoring record.
$200,000 (at least): LSU’s Angel Reese might have a crown. But when it comes to memorabilia, Clark’s game-worn jersey could draw the biggest bucks. The home jersey she wore when she broke the NCAA women’s basketball scoring record could be worth as much as $200,000 if it’s ever auctioned off, according to Ken Goldin, founder and CEO of Goldin Auctions. Iowa hosted Ohio State when Clark broke “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s NCAA scoring record (men’s and women’s), so the potential price for the jersey could be even higher now. Clark has been known to give away shoes to fans and more recently threw a game ball into the stands.
1.5 million: Clark is one of the most followed college athletes on social media. Among the men’s and women’s John Wooden Award finalists, she trails only LSU’s Reese for the most followers on Instagram at 1.5 million.
$1.4 million: It is no secret that Clark loved playing at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. And the fans there loved her back. Last season’s ticket revenue totaled $1.4 million, and after Iowa sold out every home game this year, that number is likely to increase. That mark ranked second in all of women’s college basketball, according to Sportico’s financial database.
$3.1 million: Clark’s NIL value. It’s the highest in women’s college basketball, according to On3. She has deals with Gatorade, State Farm, Gainbridge, Nike, Xfinity and Panini America, among others. Gainbridge is the naming rights sponsor of the Indiana Fever’s home arena.
12.3 million and 14.2 million: The number of viewers who tuned in to watch Iowa-LSU’s game in the Elite Eight on April 1 (12.3 million) and, according to preliminary numbers, Iowa-UConn in the Final Four on April 5 (14.2 million). Both games broke women’s college basketball viewership records.
Best of Sportico.com
Source Agencies
