Indiana Fever’s forward Caitlin Clark was named AP Female Athlete of the Year for 2024. Clark was the number one draft pick in the WNBA this year and has been sensational in her first year. Clark also won the Rookie of the Year award this season ahead of Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese. She has made quite an impact on fans and the WNBA. She has become the face of women’s basketball. Clark’s exploits were far-reaching, casting a light on other women’s sports leagues. Clark is the fourth women’s basketball player to win the Female Athlete of the Year award. Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete Award for the third time.
Caitlin Clark Wins Female Athlete of the Year
Clark broke the NCAA Division I career scoring record for both men and women, finishing her career with 3,951 points while guiding Iowa to its second consecutive national championship game. For all the success Caitlin has had and the attention she has brought to women’s basketball, she is often the centerpiece of debates and online toxicity toward her and other players in the league. Indiana Pacers Guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was often spotted courtside at her at Indiana Fever games, said, “It’s a different type of popularity; she’s one of the most popular athletes in the world. It’s not just women’s sports anymore.”
Caitlin said she enjoys spending time with fans at games, usually taking a few minutes before and after games to sign autographs. She enjoys taking that extra 10 or 15 seconds to sign an autograph or make an impact on a young girl or young boy’s life. Caitlin Clark has made a huge impact with fans with sold out arenas and TV views to follow her WNBA journey.
Clark had a slow start to the WNBA season, but she eventually hit her stride. She broke the single-game assist record with 19 and had 337 assists on the season to break that mark as well. Caitlin is known for her logo-distance 3-pointers. She was the fastest player to reach 100 three-pointers, and she did it in 34 games. She also helped the Indiana Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Final Thoughts
Caitlin Clark has made a huge impact not only in the WNBA but in all women’s sports. She has great character and charisma, and she impacts all her fans and others alike. She is a natural talent on the court, and off the court. She is a humble person making a difference. Members from the Associated Press voted on the AP Female Athlete Award, with Clark coming in with 35 votes. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles came in second with 25 votes and boxer Imane Khelif was third, getting four votes.
This is only the beginning of Caitlin Clark’s WNBA career. The WNBA will start its new 2025 season in May, and fans will be eager to see her take the court again and watch what records she will break in her sophomore year.
