" is such a dynamic player that can fill the stat sheet," says Ari Chambers, women's sports expert, host, and founder of HighlightHER, who refers to Clark as a "walking triple-double." With the help of Clark, Molly Davis, and fellow teammates, Iowa went to the NCAA tournament on March 31 for the second time in program history, and the first time in 30 years. "A 40-point triple-double against Louisville to go to the Final Four? Are you kidding? I mean, it's mind-boggling." "I don't know how else to describe what she does on the basketball court," she said after the Louisville game, according to Sports Illustrated. "She is spectacular," says Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder, who after 38 years of coaching finally got to take a team to the Final Four. And if that isn't impressive enough, Clark's performance against Louisville on March 26 finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists - the first 30-point triple-double in an NCAA tournament game, men's or women's, according to ESPN. In March Madness alone, Clark set a new record for the most points scored in a single NCAA tournament. The superstar athlete has 11 career triple-doubles (per-game statistic where a player racks up double digits in three categories: points, assists, rebounds, steals, or blocks) and is the second player in Big Ten women's basketball history to have more than 2,000 points, 550 assists, 520 rebounds, 110 steals, and 50 blocks in a career. With over 10 awards under her belt, Clark, born in West Des Moines, is a junior at the University of Iowa and the leading point guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes. I hope I brought them a lot of joy this season," Clark said tearfully at the post-game press conference - and that she certainly did, trophy or not. "I want my legacy to be the impact that I have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa. Reese, now a national champion and named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 NCAA Women's Championship, maybe be going home with the W, but Clark is a star in her own right, too. And though comparisons of the two players have ignited important conversations about race and gender, the fact is these two women athletes are both doing great things for the sport and to further women's athletics.
Stars from the two final teams - Caitlin Clark of Iowa and Angel Reese of LSU, who won the championship 102-85 - became near-overnight sensations.
Left and right, fans shared content that shut down the outdated refrain that "no one cares about women's sports" once and for all.
Over the weekend, social media became saturated with photos and videos of packed stadiums and sellout crowds at the women's Final Four and championship game in Dallas, the latter of which set an attendance record with more than 350,000 fans. That shift became increasingly evident during this year's NCAA March Madness tournament. Although there are many more disparities between men and women collegiate basketball players, the tide seems to be changing. As a lover of the game, it's frustrating to see fewer camera angles and instant replays during women's basketball games in comparison to men's - no wonder people think it's a slower and less exciting game. Some might say men's sports have higher-quality coverage and commentary, larger production values, and more fans. Fact: women's sports receive less recognition and pay than their men counterparts.
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