CLEVELAND (AP) — Caitlin Clark is capping her illustrious college career with another record-breaking season and another set of prestigious awards.
The star guard from Iowa was honored Thursday as The Associated Press Player of the Year in women’s basketball for the second consecutive year.
Clark received 34 votes from the 35-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Cameron Brink of Stanford received the other vote. Voting was done before March Madness began.
The 22-year-old Clark is the sixth player to win the award more than once and fifth to do it in consecutive seasons. She joined Chamique Holdsclaw, Seimone Augustus, Maya Moore, Brittney Griner and Breanna Stewart as multi-time winners.
“This is a tremendous honor to be on the same list as a lot of great players that I grew up idolizing,” Clark said. “I grew up as a young kid watching them and wanting to be like them.”
The NCAA Division I career scoring leader set numerous records while helping Iowa reach the Final Four for a second consecutive season. A semifinal matchup with UConn awaits on Friday night in Cleveland.
Clark’s play with her logo-depth 3-pointers and dazzling passes has captured the hearts of fans who showed up by the thousands wearing her No. 22 jersey whether Iowa was at home or on the road all season.
One of those players she inspired was Love Johnson, a standout player on her Cleveland middle school basketball team. Johnson and her coach Shawn Cox were on stage with Clark when she was presented the award.
“If we're at home or on the road the arena is screaming, there's young boys, there's young girls that you know are inspired," Clark said. "Whether you win or lose, no matter how many points you score, at the end of the day that doesn't really matter. It's the people that you're inspiring. I think that's been the coolest part of my journey.”
Opposing coaches, including AP Coach of the Year Dawn Staley, have called Clark a generational talent and tried to stifle her creativity and scoring, but she averaged 31.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.9 assists during the regular season to help Iowa go 29-4 and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Her games have become appointment viewing for millions — the Elite Eight rematch with LSU earlier this week was seen by more than 12 million, a record for a women's college basketball game — and raised the profile of the sport even higher as it enjoys a surge in popularity. She is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft later this month, a slot held by the Indiana Fever.
Clark has been quick to credit her teammates and coach, and note that the women's game had stars like Lynette Woodard and Pearl Moore and many others long before she started dazzling fans in an era where games are easily found on TV every season.
Her college career will be come to an end this weekend and it has been quite a ride for the West Des Moines native.
“I feel like I’ve talked about her, like used every word imaginable to describe her,” coach Lisa Bluder said. “She is spectacular. I don’t know how else to describe what she does on the basketball court.”
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket/ and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) drives to the basket as she is double-teamed by Holy Cross guards Kaitlyn Flanagan (5) and Bronagh Power-Cassidy (13) in the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 91-65. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
Iowa guard Caitlin Clark (22) steals the ball from Holy Cross guard Simone Foreman (24) in the second half of a first-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 23, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa won 91-65. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)
West Virginia guard Lauren Fields (23) tries to steal the ball from Iowa guard Caitlin Clark in the first half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Monday, March 25, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
NEW YORK (AP) — Colleges around the U.S. implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday, with more arrests being made at the University of Texas and an ultimatum from Columbia University for students to sign a form and leave the encampment by the afternoon or face suspension.
Protesters who returned to the University of Texas at Austin on Monday were quickly greeted by dozens of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear. Six protesters were quickly arrested and others were taken into custody one by one.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on social media reposted video of troopers arriving on the 50,000-student campus. “No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made,” Abbott posted.
Just last week, hundreds of police — including some on horseback and holding batons — pushed into protesters at the university, sending some tumbling into the street. Officers made 34 arrests at the behest of the university and Abbott, according to the state Department of Public Safety.
In New York, Columbia activists defied the 2 p.m. deadline to respond to the ultimatum with chants, clapping and drumming from the encampment of more than 300 people. No officials appeared to enter the encampment, with at least 120 tents staying up as the deadline passed. Hundreds of protesters marched around the quad, weaving around piles of temporary flooring and green carpeting meant for graduation ceremonies. A handful of counter-demonstrators waved Israeli flags, and one held a sign reading, “Where are the anti-Hamas chants?”
The notice sent by the Ivy League university in Manhattan said that if protesters left by the deadline and signed a form committing to abide by university policies through June 2025 or an earlier graduation, they could finish the semester in good standing. If not, the letter said, they would be suspended, pending further investigation.
Early protests at Columbia, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked the pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country. Students and others have been sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel. The number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000. The protests have even spread to Europe, with French police removing dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard.
College classes are wrapping up for the semester, and campuses are preparing for graduation ceremonies, giving schools an extra incentive to clear encampments. The University of Southern California canceled its main graduation ceremony.
But students have dug in their heels at some high-profile universities, with standoffs also continuing at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others.
Protesters at Yale set up a new camp with dozens of tents Sunday, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 and cleared a similar one nearby. They were notified by a Yale official that they could face discipline, including suspension, and possible arrest if they continued.
Yale said in a statement Monday that while it supports peaceful protests and freedom of speech, it does not tolerate policy violations such as the encampment. School officials said that the protest is near residential colleges where many students are studying for final exams, and that permission must be granted for groups to hold events and put up structures on campus.
At Brown University in Rhode Island, meanwhile, school President Christina H. Paxton offered protest leaders the chance to meet with officials to discuss their arguments for divestment from Israel-linked companies in exchange for ending an encampment.
In the letter to student protesters at Columbia, school officials noted that exams are beginning and graduation is upcoming.
“We urge you to remove the encampment so that we do not deprive your fellow students, their families and friends of this momentous occasion,” the letter said.
Under the terms spelled out in the letter, students who leave the encampment would be put on disciplinary probation through June 2025. Students who are already receiving discipline, or who face harassment or discrimination charges for actions in the encampment, are not eligible for the offer.
The demonstrations have led Columbia to hold remote classes. The school said in an email to students that bringing back police “at this time” would be counterproductive. The university said it will offer an alternative venue for the protests after exams and graduation.
Columbia's handling of the protests has prompted federal complaints.
A class-action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of contract by Columbia, claiming the university failed to maintain a safe learning environment, despite policies and promises. It also challenges the move away from in-person classes and seeks quick court action requiring Columbia to provide security for the students.
Meanwhile, a legal group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging the U.S. Department of Education's civil rights office to investigate Columbia's compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for how they have been treated.
A university spokesperson declined to comment on the complaints.
The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.
Demonstrators on other campuses, meanwhile, said they would stand firm. Jacob Ginn, a second-year University of North Carolina sociology graduate student, said he had been protesting at the encampment for four days, including negotiations with administrators Friday.
“We are prepared for everything and we will remain here until the university meets our demands and we will remain steadfast and strong in the face of any brutality and repression that they try to attack us with,” Ginn said in reference to a potential police sweep of the encampment.
Mattise reported from Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press journalists around the country contributed to this report, including Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas; Sarah Brumfield in Silver Spring, Maryland; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York; David Collins in Hartford, Connecticut; and Makiya Seminera in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Barricades torn down by demonstrators are piled in the center of an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A banner reading "Just Say No To Genocide Joe" is unfurled on the ground at an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Barricades torn down by demonstrators are piled in the center of an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at University of California, Los Angeles in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Los Angeles. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP)
A person who declined to give their name maneuvers among tents at an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A person rests against a tree at an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
People sit in the shade near tents at an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Barricades torn down by demonstrators are piled in the center of an encampment by students protesting against the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A man passes in front of the pro-Palestinian protesters' tents as they continued to occupy the grounds at University of California, Los Angeles, in front of Royce Hall, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Los Angeles. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israel supporters. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP)
University of Missouri students parade a banner in front of Jesse Hall during a walkout and demonstration calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. The group made up of about 300 people met at Lowry Mall and walked toward Francis Quadrangle. (Brian W. Kratzer/Missourian via AP)
Speakers take turns addressing a rally on Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri campus Monday, April 29, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. Students staged a walkout and demonstration calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The group made up of about 300 peopl, met at Lowry Mall and walked to the Quad and back. (Brian W. Kratzer/Missourian via AP)
Speakers take turns addressing a rally on Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri campus Monday, April 29, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. Students staged a walkout and demonstration calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The group made up of about 300 people met at Lowry Mall and walked to the Quad and back. (Brian W. Kratzer/Missourian via AP)
University of Missouri students stage a walkout and demonstration in front of Jesse Hall as they call for a cease-fire in Gaza, Monday, April 29, 2024, on the campus in Columbia, Mo. The group made up of about 300 people met at Lowry Mall and marched to the Francis Quadrangle. (Brian W. Kratzer/Missourian via AP)
Columbia University faculty and staff gather on the campus in solidarity with student protesters who are demonstrating against the university's investments in Israel, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Students protesters gather at an encampment on the Columbia University campus protesting the war in Gaza, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Protesters of the war in Gaza who are encamped at Columbia University have defied a deadline to disband with chants, clapping and drumming. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Students protesters gather at an encampment on the Columbia University campus protesting the war in Gaza, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Protesters of the war in Gaza who are encamped at Columbia University have defied a deadline to disband with chants, clapping and drumming. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Student protesters gather in protest inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Protesters of the war in Gaza who are encamped at Columbia University have defied a deadline to disband with chants, clapping and drumming. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)
Notice of Trespass sign posted on barricades informing protesters in encampment on University of Pennsylvania campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. Colleges around the U.S. implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency Monday. College classes nationwide are wrapping up for the semester, and campuses are preparing for graduation ceremonies. (Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Pro-Palestinian protesters camp out in tents at Columbia University on Saturday, April 27, 2024 in New York.(AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Police arrest pro-Palestinian protesters attempting to camp on Washington University's campus, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in St. Louis, Mo. (Christine Tannous/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
A Pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment is seen at the Columbia University, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
FILE - A sign that reads, "Gaza Solidarity Encampment," is seen during the pro-Palestinian protest at the Columbia University campus in New York, Monday April 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah, File)
Protesters in support of Palestinians link arms as police prepare to arrest them on Washington University's campus in St. Louis, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Christine Tannous/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
A George Washington University student, who declined to give her name, works on a school assignment while joining other students in protesting the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
A Palestinian flag flutters in the wind during a pro-Palestinian encampment, advocating for financial disclosure and divestment from all companies tied to Israel and calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside Columbia University Campus on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
A Palestinian flag is reflected in a demonstrator's mask as students protest the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
A woman wearing a keffiyeh walks by a pro-Palestinian encampment, advocating for financial disclosure and divestment from all companies tied to Israel and calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside Columbia University Campus on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, left, links arms with others, including Alderwoman Alisha Sonnier, second from right, and Aldermanic President Megan Green, right, while surrounding pro-Palestinian protesters as police show up to their encampment on the campus of Washington University, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in St. Louis, Mo. Dozens were arrested during the protest. (Christine Tannous/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
Northeastern University police remove and arrest protesters one by one as they sit in zip tie handcuffs at the tent encampment on campus in Boston, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Dozens of NU students and other protesters who set up tents with them on the NU campus were arrested by state, Boston and NU police. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via AP)
Pro-Palestinian protesters link arms around campers as police show up to their encampment on Washington University's campus, Saturday, April 27, 2024, in St. Louis, Mo. Dozens were arrested during the protest. (Christine Tannous/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
Police arrest protesters attempting to camp in support of Palestinians on Washington University's campus in St. Louis, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Christine Tannous/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
People listen to a speaker at a pro-Palestinian encampment, advocating for financial disclosure and divestment from all companies tied to Israel and calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, inside the campus of Columbia University, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
