By JOHN BOHNENKAMP
Caitlin Clark’s busy week at the Final Four with the Iowa women’s basketball team includes plenty of award ceremonies.
The senior guard picked up her first national player of the year honor on Wednesday when she was named the winner of the Naismith Award for the second consecutive year.
Clark became the first player to win the award in consecutive years since Connecticut’s Breanna Stewart won it from 2014-16.
Clark was chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners. Fans also were able to vote on the award.
Clark has already received national player of the year awards from ESPN, The Athletic, and The Sporting News. She was an Associated Press unanimous first-team All-American and also a first-team All-American by the United States Basketball Writers Association. She was also named the Big Ten’s player of the year.
Two national player of the year honors will be announced on Thursday — the Associated Press award and the Wade Trophy.
Clark and the Hawkeyes play Connecticut in Friday’s national semifinal.
Photo: Iowa’s Caitlin Clark was named the winner of the Naismith Award on Wednesday. (Keith Gillett/Icon SportsWire)
