Iowa's Caitlin Clark Wins 2023 AP Women's Player of the Year Award

Caitlin Clark's trophy case continues to grow after the Iowa star was named the Associated Press' Player of the Year for women's basketball.

"It's a huge honor," she said to the AP's Doug Feinberg. "I picked a place that I perfectly fit into and that's allowed me to show my skill set. I'd be lying if I said it didn't mean something. It's not the reason you play basketball, it's just something that comes along with getting to do what you love."

The news comes one day after Clark was honored as the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year.

The junior guard has helped Iowa reach the Final Four for the first time since 1993, and has done so in historic fashion. She compiled 41 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the Elite Eight against Louisville, which was the first time ever in the NCAA men's or women's tournament a player had 30-plus points in a triple-double effort.

Clark is averaging 27.3 points on 47.4 percent shooting overall and 39.2 percent on threes. She's also leading the Hawkeyes in rebounds (7.3) and assists (8.6) per game. Her 35.7 percent usage rate is the ninth-highest in Division I, per Her Hoop Stats.

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native set the bar high straight out of the gate. She was the country's leading scorer (26.6 points) as a freshman and matched the feat as a sophomore (27.0 points). She's 28th all-time in points (2,646) and could take down Kelsey Plum's record mark (3,527) by next year.

The Hawkeyes' run in this year's Big Dance has allowed a wider audience to appreciate Clark's otherworldly offensive ability.

Now, she and Iowa face their stiffest test of the season. Reigning champion South Carolina and star forward Aliyah Boston await in the national semifinals.

The Gamecocks have suffocated opponents on defense, ranking second in points allowed per game (51.1) and first in opposing field-goal percentage (31.7).

As great as Clark is individually, she'll have a difficult time overcoming South Carolina's collective strength on the defensive end.