Caitlin Clark (West Des Moines, Iowa), a senior guard from the University of Iowa basketball team was named the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and presented with the prestigious Honda Cup during the 48th anniversary broadcast of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda on CBS Sports Network, in the CBS Studios in New York City. The awards event debuted in New York City this year after being held in Los Angeles for the previous 12 years. Honda again served as presenting sponsor, building on its 38-year history with the program.
Clark is only the fourth recipient in history to receive multiple Honda Cups, joining fellow two-time recipients Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984-tie), Maya Moore (2010, 2011-tie) and Rachel Garcia (2019, 2021).
"Congratulations to this year's Honda Cup winner Caitlin Clark and the entire CWSA Class of 2024," said Yvette Hunsicker, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility and Inclusion & Diversity, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Honda is proud to partner with the CWSA in honoring the achievements of inspiring student-athletes who are changing the landscape of collegiate women's athletics."
This year, there was a tie in voting for the Top Three finalists from the CWSA Class of 2024, resulting in four outstanding honorees. In addition to Clark, the other Top Three are senior volleyball standout Madisen Skinner from the University of Texas, senior gymnastics phenom Haleigh Bryant from Louisiana State University, and Stanford University softball sophomore up-and-comer Nijaree Canady.
The Top Three were selected by a voting of nearly 1,000 NCAA member schools, and the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Board of Directors chose the Honda Cup winner. Previous Honda Cup winners include Katie Ledecky (2017, Swimming & Diving), Breanna Stewart (2016, Basketball), Missy Franklin (2015, Swimming & Diving), Maya Moore (2011, 2012, Basketball), Candace Parker (2008, Basketball), Misty May (1999, Volleyball), Mia Hamm (1994, Soccer) and Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1985, Track & Field).
Clark is the 18th representative from the sport of basketball to win the Honda Cup, making basketball the leading sport in the program's history. As the most prolific scorer in NCAA history, Clark surpassed LSU's Pete Maravich to become the NCAA's all-time leading scorer in both men's and women's basketball during her 130th collegiate game. She was the top pick in the WNBA draft and currently plays for the Indiana Fever.
Clark has earned multiple Player of the Year honors, including twice winning the Wade Trophy and the Naismith Award, which are given to the top collegiate female basketball player. She is the first player from Iowa to be named First Team All-Big Ten for four consecutive years and is a three-time Big Ten Player of the Year.
Among her many records, Clark holds the NCAA record for most points in a single season and is the only player in NCAA Division I men's or women's basketball history to lead her conference in both scoring and assists for four consecutive seasons. She is also the first Division I player to achieve back-to-back 1,000-point seasons and holds the record for the most 30+ point performances in men's and women's college basketball over the past 25 seasons, with 57 such games.
Off the court, she is a two-time First Team Academic All-American and was named the 2023 CSC Academic All-American of the Year.
"In our 48-year history, only a handful of athletes have won the Honda Cup twice," said Chris Voelz, Executive Director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. "Just as she achieved numerous historical firsts in her senior year, Caitlin Clark makes history with us as the fourth two-time Cup winner and only the second to win it back-to-back. With an exceptional class, we are thrilled to welcome her to the sisterhood of all-time greats in college athletics and eagerly anticipate the continued impact of her influence on our culture and the nation's sports community."
The CWSA Sports Awards Presented by Honda broadcast will re-air on CBS Sports on June 24 (11:30 PM), June 25 (12:30 PM, 6:30 PM, 4:30 AM) and June 30 (6:30 AM, 10:30 AM). All times Eastern.
Established in 1976, the CWSA honors the nation's top NCAA women athletes for their superior athletic skills, leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. Since commencing its partnership with the CWSA in 1986, Honda has provided more than $3.7 million in institutional grants to the universities of the award winners and nominees to support women's athletics programs.
About Honda Corporate Social Responsibility and the Honda USA Foundation
For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where its associates live and work. The company's mission is to create products and services that help people fulfill their life's potential, while conducting business in a sustainable manner and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Advancing its corporate social responsibility, Honda and the Honda USA Foundation support this direction through giving focused on education, the environment, mobility, traffic safety and community.
Learn more at http://csr.honda.com/.
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