Caitlin Clark Leads 2024 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Semifinalists MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MARCH 10: Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes dribbles against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the second half during the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament Championship at Target Center on March 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) Adam Bettcher/Getty Images Iowa guard Caitlin Clark and nine others were named semifinalists for the 2024 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Award on Thursday. The full list of semifinalists for the most prestigious individual prize in women’s college basketball is as follows: Madison Booker, F, Texas Cameron Brink, F, Stanford Paige Bueckers, G, UConn Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa Hannah Hidalgo, G, Notre Dame Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech Angel Reese, F, LSU Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State Judea “JuJu” Watkins, G, USC Naismith Awards @NaismithTrophy 🚨 ATTENTION🚨: Introducing the 2024 @jerseymikes Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Semifinalists🔥#JerseyMikesNaismith pic.twitter.com/ilHLkb54Ma Clark, who swept the Player of the Year awards last year, seems like a virtual lock to go back-to-back as Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year. The likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft leads Division I women’s college basketball in scoring (31.9 points per game), assists (8.9 per game) and three-pointers made (5.2 per game), while also chipping in 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game. She is also shooting 46.0 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc. In a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal win over Penn State last week, Clark set the all-time record for most three-pointers made in a season by a woman or man in Division I college basketball, surpassing Stephen Curry’s record of 162. Clark also previously broke “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s all-time career scoring record of 3,667 points. With Clark leading the way, the Hawkeyes are the No. 2 team in the nation with a 29-4 record, and they won the Big Ten tournament title over Nebraska on Sunday. In addition to Clark, three of the other top-five scorers in women’s college basketball this season are Naismith semifinalists as well. Watkins (27.0 points per game), Hidalgo (23.3 points per game) and Kitley (22.8 points per game) are second, third and fifth, respectively, in scoring this season, and any of them would be strong candidates to be named Player of the Year under different circumstances. Bueckers is the other semifinalist averaging at least 20 points per game this season with 21.3 points per contest to go along with 4.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.4 blocks. Her season is made even more impressive by the fact that he 2021 Naismith Women’s Player of the Year missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL. Representing the No. 1 South Carolina Gamecocks, who are undefeated with a 32-0 record, is Cardoso. Her averages of 14.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.1 assists per game don’t necessarily jump off the page, but that is because South Carolina has such a deep and balanced team. Cardoso likely won’t be a legitimate contender for National Player of the Year because of that, but she deserved recognition as the best player on the best team. Reese, who was the women’s NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player last year en route to LSU winning the national title, has enjoyed another excellent season on a stacked LSU team. She averaged 19.0 points, 13.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per contest for the Tigers, who are the No. 8 team in the nation with a 28-5 record. Reese’s Tigers and Clark’s Hawkeyes memorably clashed in the National Championship Game last season, and while Reese got the better of Clark on that occasion, Clark figures to get the nod for 2024 Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year. Sign up to Play the NCAA March Madness Women’s Bracket Challenge.