Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark won nearly every award available to her last season. Bringing the Hawkeyes to the national championship game, Clark was named the Associated Press Women’s College Basketball Player of the Year. She also won the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith College Player of the Year, as well as the USBWA Women’s National Player of the Year.
After a season full of accolades, Clark is now up for one of the most prestigious awards of all. On Wednesday, Caitlin Clark was announced as one of six finalists for the James E. Sullivan Award.
The James E. Sullivan Award is given yearly by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU.) The award was established in 1930 in honor of the organization’s founder and past president. It has been presented annually since then to the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States. The award seeks fully rounded recipients, In addition to athletic excellence, aiming to recognize the qualities of leadership, citizenship, character, and sportsmanship on and off the field.
???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ????@CaitlinClark22 is a James E. Sullivan Finalist. The prestigious award is presented annually to the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level.
VOTE: https://t.co/LbYrst0KB2 pic.twitter.com/FwBOVUyaAT
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) August 9, 2023
Clark joins an elite group of finalists for the award. Big Ten fans will recognize Purdue center Zach Edey, who Swept all six major National Player of the Year Awards in 2022. Amongst the finalist include a former silver medalist gymnast at the 2020 summer Olympics in Jordan Chiles, a bronze medalist swimmer at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Kate Douglass, an NCAA swimming champion in Jordan Crooks, and a two-time All-American baseball player in Dylan Crews.
These six will look to join a prestigious list of athletes to win the James E. Sullivan Award that includes Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Fans can vote for Caitlin Clark this week here. Voting is allowed once per day and is open to the public now. This year’s winner will be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 19.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Jacob on Twitter: @Jacobkeppen