Who could have guessed the 2023-2024 Woman’s NCAA Division One basketball season would be filled with so many broken records. For many young woman, playing sports in college is a dream. Finally the tide is changing and not because of Alabama. Thanks to a new trend in college sports with the NIL deal, young female athletes are now in a much brighter light so to speak.
Caitlin Clark forever a household name
What else can be said about Caitlin Clark other than she simply is the best at well, everything, so it seems. If she isn’t dropping your jaw with the magical no look half court shot perhaps she is with her ever so witty State Farm commercials with not so better known sidekick “Jake, from State Farm.” Did I mention she has her own “youth” foundation? The Caitlin Clark Foundation whose mission is to uplift and improve the lives of youth and their communities through education, nutrition, and sport. Caitlin Clark is reshaping woman’s college basketball on and off the court while pioneering a new path for generations to come. As the regular season for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Clark inches towards March, Caitlin is now just 38 points shy from setting the All-time scoring record for Division One Woman’s College basketball. The current record held by Kelsey plum versus Caitlin Clark looks as follows. 1. Kelsey Plum, Washington (2013-17): 3,527
2. Caitlin Clark, Iowa (2020-24): 3,489
Steals record not owned by who you’d think
Let’s play a game of word association shall we? If I said steal record does your brain think Caitlin Clark? Well, it should have thought Hannah Hidalgo instead. Hannah, a true freshman for the Lady Notre Dame Fighting Irish, has solidified her name alongside Juju Watkins and Caitlin Clark as human highlight tapes. As this season pressed on hearing another record broken by Caitlin Clark began to come as no surprise but lately some new kids are on the block so to speak. Hannah Hidalgo is an artist when it comes to taking the ball from her opponents hands. Hidalgo just set the All-time ACC steals record in a season after her most recent performance (6) against conference foe Louisville University. The most amazing part of this accomplishment is the fact that Hannah is a freshman and there are still seven guaranteed games on the Notre Dame Lady Irish regular season schedule. Hidalgo is averaging 5.1 steals per game so it is likely the bar will be raised further.
March Madness full of new records
It has been such a joy following woman’s college basketball and for the first time I am just as excited if not more to turn on those week night matchups for woman’s basketball as I have been for my entire life for men’s basketball. Perhaps it’s a coming of age for me, but I’d like to think it’s purely these athletes are entertaining. The tvs are getting bigger and pictures more defined. The uniforms more vibrant, the stands more full. I know Hawkeye nation has turned out for Clark and her comrades for sell out crowds on more than one occasion. The economy these young athletes are helping in their respective communities as well as inspiring youth are ten fold what some people can only dream to accomplish. March per usual will be filled with tears and celebrations and likely many more records shattered as these ladies are eager to solidify their names in history. Will it be Clark and the trendy Iowa Hawkeyes taking the crown? How about Cardoso and the South Carolina Lady Gamecocks. If we’re talking leaders we must include Hannah Hidalgo and the Lady Fighting Irish of Notre Dame as well as Juju Watkins and the Lady Southerm California Trojans. These players are just a few that will be eager to punch a ticket to the final four. Mark your calendars people, March Madness of 2023-2024 for Woman’s Division One College Baksetball will turn out to be historic.
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