Caitlin Clark wins the Honda Cup as top female athlete for the second year in a row

NEW YORK – Caitlin Clark joined her idol Maya Moore as a two-time Honda Cup winner, earning the prestigious award for the second year in a row Monday night.

The former Iowa star, who ended her career as the Division I all-time leader, joined Moore (2010, 2011), Tracy Caulkins (1982, 1984) and Rachel Garcia (2019, 2021) as the only people to do so got done.

“It’s hard to keep your wits about you. To be in the same atmosphere as them is pretty incredible,” Clark told the AP in a telephone interview. “She’s someone I’ve idolized since I was 10 and wanted to do everything like her.”

Clark was unable to attend the awards ceremony because she is in the middle of her first WNBA season starring for the Indiana Fever. She missed the chance to spend time with the other Honda Cup finalists.

“It stinks,” Clark said of missing the show. “Meeting people outside your sport is what makes this event so much fun. To hear about their lives and what they do.”

The Honda Cup honors the nation’s top NCAA women’s athletes not only for what they do athletically, but also for their leadership, academic excellence and eagerness to participate in community service. The ceremony was moved to New York this year after spending 12 years in Los Angeles.

“It’s cool that they’re doing it here this year,” said Northwestern lacrosse player Izzy Scane, who was also honored as the top in her sport last year. “It’s great to see New York.”

This year there was a tie in voting for the top three finalists, resulting in four outstanding awards. In addition to Clark, the others were Texas volleyball player Madisen Skinner, LSU gymnast Haleigh Bryant and Stanford softball player NiJaree Canady.

Clark, a two-time Associated Press Player of the Year, is the 18th basketball player to win the award.

“In our 48-year history, only a handful of athletes have won the Honda Cup twice,” said Chris Voelz, executive director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. “Just as she achieved countless historic firsts in her senior year, Caitlin Clark is making history with us as the fourth two-time Cup winner and only the second to win the Cup in a row. With an exceptional class, we are pleased to welcome her to the sisterhood of all-time greats in college athletics and eagerly look forward to the continued impact of her influence on our culture and the nation’s sporting community.

Fellow USC basketball player Aaliyah Gayles was honored as the winner of the Honda Inspiration Award. She has been an inspiration since the night of April 2022, when she survived being shot multiple times at a house party in North Las Vegas. She signed her national letter of intent to play at USC from her hospital bed. She was a reserve for the Trojans, who won the Pac-12 tournament this past year.

“It’s inspiring to know that people look up to me and read my story and think I’m a superhero,” Gayles said. “Many people listen to me and recognize me for who I am and love my story.”

Gretchen Walsh of Virginia was unable to attend the awards ceremony because she was attending the U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Walsh qualified. Parker Valby of Florida also missed the ceremony as she tried to qualify for the Paris Games in track and field.

Two of the finalists present hope to participate in the Olympic Games in Paris next month. Florida State’s Joe Echegini hopes to play with the Nigerian soccer team and Division II Honda Athlete of the Year, Minnesota State’s Denisha Cartwright heads to the Bahamas Olympic Trials in the 100 hurdles.