Caitlin Clark Named ‘Athlete of the Year’ by Time Magazine

No athlete generated more buzz and headlines or increased the value of their sport more than Caitlin Clark did in 2024, and now she’s being recognized for it.

The former Iowa Hawkeye, who became the greatest women’s college basketball player of all time and then hit the court running to become the greatest WNBA rookie in history, has been named Time Magazine’s Athlete of the Year for 2024.

Chronicling Clark’s accolades and achievements during her final season at Iowa and her rookie season in the WNBA is no mean feat. Still, here are some of the highlights.

Clark led the Hawkeyes to a 34-5 record and the NCAA Championship Game in her final season. While Iowa did not win that game, and Clark would end her college career without a ring, she would break the all-time Division I women’s scoring record.

Despite only a short break between the end of her final NCAA season and the start of the WNBA season, Clark continued her success at the next level, where she set the league record for three-pointers in a season, assists in a game, and assists in a season.

Clark’s WNBA squad, the Indiana Fever, set records for attendance at home games, and her final regular-season game was the most heavily attended game in league history. Still, Clark’s impact can’t be confined to Fever games alone. Due to her presence and the buzz she created, the league saw an overall 48% increase in attendance.