Fresh off her second national championship in three years, South Carolina coach Dawn Staley made sure to credit Iowa star Caitlin Clark for helping popularize women’s basketball after a season that saw Clark raise the ceiling, and then shatter it.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” Staley said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport. It just is not going to stop here on a collegiate tour but when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft, she’s going to lift that league up as well.
“So Caitlin Clark, if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game. We appreciate you.”
Clark responded to the praise in a postgame news conference, saying, “Any time someone like coach Staley is able to recognize you and what you did for the game, it’s pretty special, and honestly, she’s somebody I respect so much, I respect what she’s done for South Carolina, I respect what she did as a player for our game, so any time you can get the praises of her it’s pretty special so it means a lot.”
Tacking on to her long list of accolades — which notably includes owning the highest NCAA scoring mark in men’s and women’s basketball — Clark broke the all-time NCAA Tournament scoring record in the first quarter of the national…
