Caitlin Clark wins Naismith National Player of the Year Award

CLEVELAND, Ohio (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Caitlin Clark again proved she is the best player in women's college basketball right now and perhaps ever by again claiming the Naismith National Player of the Year Award on Wednesday in Cleveland ahead of this weekend's Final Four.

Clark is the 10th player to win the award multiple times. Clark led the NCAA in both scoring and assists in the 2023-2024 season.

Along the way, Clark set every scoring and three-point shooting record possible. She and her Iowa Hawkeyes will play on Friday against the University of Connecticut Huskies in hopes of a return trip to the NCAA Women's National Championship game.

Clark will face fellow Naismith-finalist and former winner Paige Bueckers in that matchup.

Joining Clark and Bueckers as finalists on wednesday were Stanford's Cameron Brink, who earlier in the ceremony was named the National Defensive Player of the Year, and USC freshman Juju Watkins who, after one season, is on pace to best Clark's career-scoring record.

Clark kept her acceptance speech short, thanking her family, teammates and coaches and promising the crowd, "I'll see you on Friday night."

"I think it's a little different, the biggest thing is this is my senior year. You know, it's special to be able to celebrate this with my teammates and having them here and preparing for the final four game, but it doesn't happen without them. It doesn't happen without amazing coaches and you know to kind of end my career on this one and hopefully win a national title would be perfect."

Caitlin Clark, Naismith winner

The Hawkeyes and Huskies play at 8:00pm Central on Friday.