Iowa’s Caitlin Clark joined yet another exclusive club on Tuesday, being named the winner of the 93rd AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
The honor has been presented annually since 1930 to “the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States.”
Clark is only the 10th basketball player to win the award, and Iowa wrestler Spencer Lee (2019) is the only other Hawkeye to win.
“I am incredibly humbled,” Clark said. “It is an honor to be selected for this prestigious award that elects a student-athlete that excels on the court and in the classroom. All the finalists are equally as deserving. It is special to represent the University of Iowa on this stage.”
Clark, who led the Hawkeyes to their first win at a Final Four and first NCAA championship game, also was named the 2023 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year, CWSA Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year, 2023 Naismith Award winner, Honda Cup winner, Wooden Award winner and Wade Trophy winner, Associated Press Player of the Year, Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award winner, Dawn Staley Award winner and USBWA Ann Drysdale Player of the Year.
“Caitlin Clark is the epitome of what this award represents,” said Jo Mirza, AAU President. “We’re honored to have her name forever entwined with the AAU Sullivan Award and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.”
The winner is determined by the AAU Sullivan Award Committee, AAU Board of Directors, sports media and past winners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XulUtA5sBo0
Previous basketball-playing winners are Bill Walton, Sabrina Ionescu, J.J. Redick, Breanna Stewart, Chamique Holdsclaw, Charlie Ward, Bill Bradley, Coco Miller and Kelly Miller.
For more Hawkeyes coverage, follow @HawkeyeHQ on Twitter and Facebook.
Caitlin Clark #22 celebrates after the Iowa Hawkeyes beat the South Carolina Gamecocks 77-73 during the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2023 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
