NEW YORK — Caitlin Clark joined her idol Maya Moore as a two-time winner of the Honda Cup, incomes the distinguished award for the second straight 12 months Monday night time.
The previous Iowa star, who completed her profession because the all-time Division I scoring chief, joined Moore (2010, 2011), Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984) and Rachel Garcia (2019, 2021) as the one folks to perform that.
“It is laborious to wrap your head round,” Clark informed the AP in a cellphone interview Monday night time. “To be in the identical air as her is fairly unbelievable. She’s somebody I grew up idolizing since I used to be 10 years previous and needed to do every thing like her.”
Clark could not make the awards present as a result of she’s in the course of her first WNBA season, starring with the Indiana Fever. She missed the prospect to spend time with the opposite Honda Cup finalists.
“It stinks,” Clark stated of lacking the present. “Getting to fulfill folks outdoors your sport is what makes this occasion so enjoyable. Getting to listen to about their lives and what they do.”
The Honda Cup honors the nation’s prime NCAA ladies’s athletes for not solely what they do athletically, but additionally their management, tutorial excellence and eagerness to take part in neighborhood service. The ceremony was moved to New York this 12 months after spending the earlier 12 years in Los Angeles.
“It is cool that they’re doing it right here this 12 months,” stated Northwestern lacrosse participant Izzy Scane, who additionally was honored as the highest in her sport final 12 months. “It is nice to get to see New York.”
This 12 months there was a tie in voting for the highest three finalists leading to 4 excellent honorees. Along with Clark, the others have been Texas volleyball participant Madisen Skinner, LSU gymnast Haleigh Bryant and Stanford softball participant NiJaree Canady.
Clark, who’s a two-time Related Press Participant of the Yr, is the 18th basketball participant to win the award.
“In our 48-year historical past, solely a handful of athletes have gained the Honda Cup twice,” stated Chris Voelz, government director of the Collegiate Girls Sports activities Awards. “Simply as she achieved quite a few historic firsts in her senior 12 months, Caitlin Clark makes historical past with us because the fourth two-time Cup winner and solely the second to win it back-to-back. With an distinctive class, we’re thrilled to welcome her to the sisterhood of all-time greats in faculty athletics and eagerly anticipate the continued influence of her affect on our tradition and the nation’s sports activities neighborhood.”
Fellow basketball participant Aaliyah Gayles of USC was honored because the Honda Inspiration Award winner. She has been an inspiration for the reason that night time in April 2022 when she survived being shot quite a few instances at a home get together in North Las Vegas. She signed her nationwide letter of intent to play at USC from her hospital mattress. She’s been a reserve for the Trojans, who gained the Pac-12 match this previous 12 months.
“It is inspiring to know folks look as much as me, studying my story they suppose I am a superhero,” Gayles stated. “Lot of individuals hearken to me and acknowledge me for who I’m and love my story.”
Gretchen Walsh of Virginia could not make the awards ceremony as she was on the U.S. swimming trials for the Olympics. Walsh certified. Parker Valby of Florida additionally missed the ceremony as she was attempting to qualify for the Paris Video games in monitor and subject.
Two of the finalists who have been in attendance have hopes of competing within the Paris Olympics subsequent month. Florida State’s Joe Echegini hopes to play with the Nigerian soccer group and Division II Honda Athlete of the Yr, Denisha Cartwright of Minnesota State, goes to the Bahamas Olympic trials within the 100 hurdles.