| Human Profile | |
| Name: | Caitlin Elizabeth Clark |
| Birthday: | January 22, 2002 (age 24 years), Born in Des Moines, Iowa |
| Height: | 6'0" (183 cm) |
| Education: | Dowling Catholic High School (Diploma) University of Iowa (BS), Marketing |
Overview
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark is an American basketball player known for her record-breaking collegiate career at the University of Iowa, where she became the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer and a two-time consensus National Player of the Year, before being selected as the first overall pick in the WNBA draft, earning Rookie of the Year honors, and representing the United States in international competitions.
Latest News (Feb 12, 2026): Caitlin Clark was officially named to the USA Basketball Women's National Team roster for the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico, marking her senior national team competitive debut. She expressed her excitement for the March tournament on social media, signaling a full return to play after missing much of the previous season due to injury.
Early Life and Education
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark was born on January 22, 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa. Her parents are Anne Nizzi-Clark and Brent Clark. She is the second of three children, with an older brother, Blake, and a younger brother, Colin. Her father played basketball and baseball at Simpson College, and her maternal grandfather was a football coach at Dowling Catholic High School.
Clark grew up in West Des Moines and began playing basketball at the age of five. Because her father could not find a girls’ league for her age group, she competed in boys’ recreational leagues. As a child, she also participated in softball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, and golf before deciding to concentrate on basketball. She attended Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines.
High School Career
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark played four years of varsity basketball at Dowling Catholic High School. As a freshman, she averaged 15.3 points per game and earned third-team all-state honors. By her sophomore year, she was named the Central Iowa Metro League Player of the Year.
During her junior season, she gained national attention after scoring 60 points in a single game, which was the second-highest single-game point total in Iowa girls’ five-on-five basketball history. She also set a state single-game record with 13 three-pointers in that game. As a junior, she led the state in scoring with an average of 32.6 points per game and was named the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year.
In her senior year, she again led the state in scoring, averaging 33.4 points per game. She concluded her high school career with 2,547 points, ranking fourth in Iowa’s five-on-five girls’ basketball history. She was named Iowa Miss Basketball and was selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic, though both games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A five-star recruit, she was ranked as the fourth-best player in her class by ESPN.
Collegiate Career at Iowa
In November 2019, Caitlin Elizabeth Clark committed to playing college basketball for the University of Iowa. She made her debut for the Hawkeyes on November 25, 2020. In her freshman season, she led the NCAA Division I in scoring, averaging 26.6 points per game. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and received national freshman of the year honors from the WBCA and USBWA.
Throughout her four years at Iowa, she was a four-time first-team All-Big Ten selection. She led her conference in scoring and assists in all four seasons, a unique achievement in NCAA Division I men’s or women’s basketball history. She was twice named the consensus National Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024, receiving awards such as the Naismith College Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award, and the Wade Trophy.
On February 15, 2024, she became the NCAA Division I women’s all-time leading scorer. She later surpassed Pete Maravich’s record to become the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I basketball history for either men or women, finishing her collegiate career with 3,951 points. She also set records for the most career three-pointers in NCAA Division I history with 548 and the most points in a single season. The University of Iowa retired her No. 22 jersey in her honor.
Professional Career
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark was selected as the first overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever. She made her professional debut on May 14, 2024. In her rookie season, she set WNBA records for the most points (769) and assists (337) by a rookie. Her play helped the Indiana Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Following the season, she was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year.
International Career
Caitlin Elizabeth Clark has represented the United States in international competitions. She won gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2019 and 2021 FIBA U19 World Cups. At the 2021 U19 World Cup, she was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading the team to a gold medal.