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Despite being eligible to play for the Hawkeyes for another season due to the COVID-19 waiver her first year, Clark declared for the 2024 WNBA draft, announcing the news in a social media post on Thursday. She is projected to be the No. 1 draft pick by the Indiana Fever.

Clark was named co-freshman of the year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association in 2021, sharing the honor with UConn's Paige Bueckers. She was also named AP player of the year in 2023 and has been awarded the Naismith Trophy, the AAU Sullivan Award and the Nancy Lieberman Award, among others, throughout her college basketball career.

A new era of women's sports

The Iowa basketball player gained recognition last season with jaw-dropping three-pointers, many of which were shot nearly from half-court, landing Clark and the Hawkeyes in the 2023 NCAA finals.

Although Iowa lost to Angel Reese and the LSU Tigers, the game's ending was just the beginning. Clark's and Reese's competitive spirits and dominance on the court re-ignited women's basketball.

\"PHOTO:
Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos via Getty Images, FILE
PHOTO: In this April 2, 2023, file photo, Angel Reese of the LSU Lady Tigers and Caitlin Clark and Gabbie Marshall of the Iowa Hawkeyes are shown during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship, in Dallas, Texas.
>

The 2023 NCAA finals was the most-viewed NCAA women's basketball game in history, with over 9 million viewers.

Since then, game tickets have soared -- some reaching as high as $5,000 -- and fans are frequently lined up outside college gymnasiums to see the collegiate stars play.

The newfound interest has also reached the pros: The WNBA announced record-breaking viewership and attendance following the 2022-2023 season.

A talented group

While Clark has become a high-achieving basketball star at the collegiate level, she stands alongside a talented and well-decorated group of stars.

\"PHOTO:
Lance King/Getty Images
PHOTO: Dyaisha Fair of the Syracuse Orange puts up a shot during the second half of the game against the NC State Wolfpack at Reynolds Coliseum, on Feb. 29, 2024, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
>

In February, Syracuse University guard Dyaisha Fair became the fifth all-time leading scorer in women's college basketball, surpassing former Baylor University star Brittney Griner.

On the West Coast, Juju Watkins, a freshman center at the University of Southern California, is breaking records, too.

\"PHOTO:
Image Of Sport via Newscom
PHOTO: Southern California Trojans guard JuJu Watkins dribbles the ball against the Colorado Buffaloes during a NCAA college women's basketball game, on Feb. 23, 2024, in Los Angeles.
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In her freshman season, Watkins delivered 11 30-point games in a single season, a 35-year-old record set by another basketball legend and former Trojan, Cheryl Miller. Watkins also owned a 51-point career-high performance against Stanford this season.

Like Clark, an Iowa native, Watkins chose to stay in her home state and build from within.

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