Collegiate basketball sensation Caitlin Clarke has electrified the nation with heR extraordinary range of abilities and dramatic flair. She is now taking her game to the next level with her participation in the WNBA draft, leaving her illustrious career as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes Women’s Basketball team behind. Clarke has been a trailblazer in every sense of the word, selling out arenas both at home and on the road, boosting revenue for the University of Iowa, and breaking a 54-year-old record to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I History, ending her career with 3,951 points.
Clarke’s indelible mark on the future of women’s basketball will not be marred by her transition to the professional league. This sentiment was met with resounding agreement by Fenwick’s Hall of Fame and former head girls basketball Coach Dave Power. He remarked that it was simply “spectacular to watch a girl shoot from two zip codes away and make the shots while simultaneously improving her teammates’ abilities through her assists and skill work.” He noted how viewers find it “refreshing” to see a team player as opposed to an “iso” one, and people “will not soon forget an athlete of such phenomenal talent.” Indeed, Clarke’s play has led the charge in popularizing women’s basketball more than ever before. For the first time in history, the women’s championship game had more viewers than the men’s, demonstrating her profound impact.
Clarke has stated that she was “ready for a new challenge. Despite having an extra year of eligibility, Clarke has completed a four-year college education and is eager for a “new chapter to begin.” However, in the WNBA Clarke will only receive a salary of $338,056 over the course of four years, which pales in comparison to the three million dollars in NIL money that she made while in Iowa. There is also concern that the great physical demands and fierce competition on the professional level will inhibit Clarke’s ability to effectively remain such an offensive superstar. Regardless of her success at the top position, however, her past accomplishments as a Hawkeye player will forever inspire young female athletes to become more interested and involved in the game of basketball. Fenwick senior basketball player Téa Pasquesi, who herself will be attending the University of Iowa next year, stated that “after conquering the college game, Caitlin Clarke will help grow the popularity of women’s professional sports, creating a new sense of respect for them.” She noted how watching this exceptional player has provided her with “some of the most entertaining basketball” she has ever seen. Surely, Caitlin Clarke’s terrific skills will continue to catch the eye of observers, prompting them to invest more of their time into the WNBA and afford more recognition to women’s sports that they so thoroughly deserve.
From movie stars like Jason Sudeikis to starry-eyed grade schoolgirls, Caitlin Clarke’s spell-binding style of play has exposed audiences to the competitive, exciting world of women’s collegiate basketball, paving the way for future female athletes.
