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Caitlin Clark. Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Caitlin Clark adds to her historic year with another major award

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Dec 24, 2024 4:07 PM ET

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark had a rookie season for the record books.

After becoming the NCAA Division I leader in points (3,951) and the women’s all-time leader in made three-pointers (548) and made field goals (1,293) at Iowa, Clark carried that momentum with her to the WNBA where she broke several WNBA records including most points scored or assisted on (1,106), most All-Star votes (700,735), most double-digit scoring games (35) by a rookie and the most double-doubles (14) by a rookie guard.

She also led the WNBA in assists, assists per game (8.4) and made three-pointers (122), while also besting all rookies in points per game (19.2), assists per game, steals per game (1.3), made field goals (242), made three-pointers and minutes per game (35.4).

Clark also shattered several rookie records including single-season points (769), single-season assists (337), single-game assists (19) and made three-pointers in a single game (seven). She also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 300 career assists, the only rookie ever to record a triple-double and she was the first player in WNBA history to lead the league in assists per game and made three-pointers (122) in a single season.

Clark’s record-breaking season led to her earning several accolades including Time Magazine’s 2024 Athlete of the Year, and now she can add another impressive milestone to her growing legacy as the Fever announced Clark was named the 2024 Female Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Clark is just the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award in its 93-year history, joining Sheryl Swoopes (1993), Rebecca Lobo (1995) and Candace Parker (2008, 2021).

Caitlin Clark is the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year pic.twitter.com/aKdBuwFyR7
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) December 24, 2024

She garnered 35 of 74 votes, beating out Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, who had 25 votes, and Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, who got four votes.

“Caitlin Clark raised the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both the college ranks and the WNBA, and Tuesday she was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year for her impact on and off the court,” The AP’s Doug Feinberg wrote.

Clark’s rookie resume also includes a unanimous AP WNBA Rookie of the Year award (she and teammate Aliyah Boston as the only two players in Fever history to win the award) plus AP All-WNBA First Team and AP All-Rookie Team selections, a fourth-place finish in MVP voting, four WNBA Rookie of the Month honors, three-time WNBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors and an Eastern Conference Player of the Month honor.

“She’s brought unprecedented attention both in the building, but also viewership to the sport that was worthy of it but didn’t have it yet,” Lobo told the AP. “There’s never been anything like this. That timeframe from 1995-97 was a baby step in the progression of it all. This is a giant leap forward. I’ve never seen anything like this. There’s more attention than the sports ever had.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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