Iowa’s Caitlin Clark won the 93rd AAU James E. Sullivan Award on Tuesday, given annually to the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States. Here’s what you need to know:
- Clark beat out five other finalists including former LSU outfielder Dylan Crews, Purdue center Zach Edey, Team USA gymnast Jordan Chiles and swimmers Jordan Crooks and Kate Douglass.
- The star guard was the consensus national player of the year after leading the Hawkeyes to their first NCAA title game in April.
- The 21-year-old averaged 27.8 points, 8.6 assists and 7.1 rebounds per game in 2022-23 and will return for her senior season at Iowa this fall.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Why Clark deserved to win
Clark is a transcendent athlete whose popularity is unprecedented. Her on-court prowess is well-known: She led the nation with 1,055 points to break the Big Ten single-season record. She became the first player in women’s basketball history with more than 1,000 points and 300 assists in the same season. In the NCAA tournament alone, Clark had 191 points and 60 assists, including a 40-point triple-double in a regional final. Since 2000, there have been six instances of a player having 150 points and 50 assists in any five-game span, and Clark has all six.
The…
