Caitlin Clark Highlights: The Top Moments From Her Senior Season

PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM The Hawkeyes hoist Caitlin Clark in triumph after she broke the NCAA women's basketball all-time scoring record Feb. 15, 2024, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a 106-89 victory over Michigan.

As Caitlin Clark and the Iowa women's basketball team gear up for another March Madness run, Iowa Magazine is tracking the West Des Moines native’s storied senior year so far. Here's our running list of Clark's highlights, which we'll continue to update through the tournament.

PHOTO: TIM SCHOON/UI OFFICE OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Caitlin Clark, a grand marshal for the 2023 UI Homecoming Parade, waves to fans in downtown Iowa City.

Homecoming Royalty

The 2023 National Player of the Year teamed with Iowa wrestling icon Spencer Lee (21BS) as grand marshals for the homecoming parade. Afterward, Clark joined ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and media executive Mark Shapiro (92BA) on stage for a conversation outside the Old Capitol.

Crossover at Kinnick

In front of the largest crowd in NCAA women’s basketball history, Clark delivered a triple-double as Iowa defeated DePaul this past fall inside Kinnick Stadium. The exhibition game used ticket sales to raise $250,000 for UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

PHOTO: BRIAN RAY/HAWKEYESPORTS.COM Caitlin Clark goes to the hoop against Iowa State center Audi Crooks, leading to the Hawkeyes' 67-58 victory over their intrastate rivals.

Ms. 3,000

In December, Clark became the 15th player in NCAA women’s basketball history—and the first at Iowa—to score 3,000 career points. The fourth-year phenom achieved the milestone with a transition 3-pointer from well beyond the arc against rival Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum.

PHOTO: STEPHEN MALLY/HAWKEYESPORTS.COM Caitlin Clark signs autographs for fans following a win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Beyond the Court

The All-American guard started the Caitlin Clark Foundation to support youth and their communities through education, nutrition, and sport—three pillars she credits for her success. Clark’s NIL partnership with supermarket chain Hy-Vee yielded her own sugar-frosted flakes cereal, Caitlin’s Crunch Time, with proceeds going to her foundation.

Expand the Brand

Clark signed a multiyear name, image, and likeness deal with Gatorade and announced the partnership in a video where she encourages the next generation to dream big. In her TV spots for another prominent NIL partner, State Farm, Clark sings the insurance provider’s jingle while appearing alongside NBA star Jimmy Butler and Fox Sports TV personality Jenny Taft.

PHOTO: STEPHEN MALLY/HAWKEYESPORTS.COM Actor Jason Sudeikis and WNBA great Sue Bird visit Caitlin Clark at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Stars Align

Actor Jason Sudeikis and WNBA legend Sue Bird attended Iowa’s victory over Bowling Green at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Sudeikis channeled his Ted Lasso character for the dance cam, shared a postgame hug with Clark, and autographed a “Believe” sign in the Hawkeyes’ locker room, while Bird interviewed Clark for an episode of the ESPN+ show Sue’s Places.

The Art of Passing

In the Hawkeyes’ final game of 2023, Clark zipped a pass from beyond the arc inside to sophomore Hannah Stuelke for a basket, setting the Big Ten’s all-time assists record in a home victory over Minnesota. Clark later became the first player in Division I basketball to reach both 3,000 career points and 1,000 career assists when she found Kate Martin open for a layup in the second quarter of a February game at Nebraska.

PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM Gold and silver streamers blanket the Carver-Hawkeye Arena court Feb. 15, 2024, as the team celebrates Caitlin Clark becoming the NCAA Division I women's basketball all-time scoring leader with a career-high and program record 49 points.

Record-Shattering Scorer

On Feb. 15, a sold-out crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena witnessed history as Clark became the NCAA women’s basketball all-time leading scorer, surpassing the record of 3,527 points set by Kelsey Plum (2013–17). Just 2 minutes and 12 seconds into the game against Michigan, Clark hit a logo 3 in transition to own the record and send fans into a frenzy. Clark ended the evening with a career-high 49 points, breaking the arena record for most points in a game (47), set by Stuelke only a week prior.

Next Stop: The WNBA

Clark ended months of speculation in late February when she announced that she would not use her COVID waiver and play a fifth season of college basketball. Instead, she will enter the WNBA draft, where she’s considered a virtual lock for the top selection April 15 by the Indiana Fever.

“It is impossible for me to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me during my time at Iowa—my teammates, who made the last four years the best; my coaches, trainers, and staff who always let me be me; Hawkeye fans who filled Carver every night; and everyone who came out to support us across the country, especially young kids,” Clark wrote in her announcement.

While the WNBA season doesn’t tip off until May 14, the frenzy to see Clark play professionally has already begun. In a social media post shortly after Clark announced her plans, the Fever linked to its season ticket site and soon saw a surge of inquiries. Likewise, fans are already snatching up tickets to Fever road games around the country, and the cost to see Indiana play has reportedly more than doubled from the previous season.

Shooting Past Pistol Pete

The stars came out to witness history in Iowa’s regular-season finale March 3 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Clark sank a free throw late in the second quarter to pass Pete Maravich as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I—men’s and women’s—basketball history. Maravich had amassed 3,667 points from 1967-70 at LSU.

Musician Travis Scott, basketball legends Maya Moore and Lynette Woodard, and baseball hall of famer Nolan Ryan were among the notable figures on hand to watch Clark finish with 35 points on Senior Day as Iowa toppled No. 2 Ohio State 93-83. In Iowa’s previous game at Minnesota, Clark had passed Woodard’s all-time women’s college scoring record of 3,649 points, set at Kansas in 1981 before the NCAA sponsored women’s basketball.

Before tipoff, Moore—a retired UConn and Minnesota Lynx star, and Clark’s favorite player growing up—surprised the Hawkeye senior with a visit outside the locker room.

“I wanted to be just like her,” said Clark, who previously met Moore as a child at a Lynx game. “For her to be here and surprise me was pretty special. It felt like I was that young girl again. It’s crazy how life can come full circle.”

Banner Season

Nike, which signed Clark to an endorsement deal in 2022, celebrated her history-making career by unveiling a seven-story banner in early March in downtown Iowa City. Adorning the side of The Edge building on East Burlington Street, the banner shows Clark launching a 3-pointer. A second banner on the Capitol Street parking ramp a block away features a basketball hoop with the words “This was never a long shot.”

PHOTO: HAWKEYESPORTS.COM Three-time Big Ten Tournament MVP Caitlin Clark celebrates Iowa’s overtime victory against Nebraska in the tournament during her storied senior year.

Big Ten Tournament MVP

The Hawkeyes headed to Minneapolis in early March for the Big Ten Tournament, where they defeated Penn State, Michigan, and Nebraska to win their third-straight conference tournament title. Clark posted double-doubles in each of the games and made history throughout. She surpassed Steph Curry’s NCAA single-season 3-pointers made record (162), as well as became the conference’s new leader in career free throws made (776), most tournament assists in a career (67), and most tournament points in a career (265 points). She also became the first Division I college basketball player to record back-to-back 1,000-point seasons.

Appearing in the tournament title game for the fifth time in the last six seasons, Iowa rallied to defeat Nebraska, 94-89, in overtime. Trailing for much of the game, the second-seeded Hawkeyes finally overtook the fifth-season Cornhuskers with a Clark step-back three-pointer with just under a minute to play. Confetti poured from the ceiling as Iowa won the Big Ten Tournament championship and Clark became a three-time conference tournament MVP. “Our fans here today were incredible,” said Clark following the sold-out game at the Target Center. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think we win.”