Caitlin Clark wins second straight national player of the year award

Caitlin Clark is continuing to add to her trophy case.

In a year in which she has broken records left and right, the Iowa women's basketball star earned her second consecutive Naismith National Player of the Year award as it was announced on Wednesday in Cleveland at Browns Stadium.

"It has been such a special year for women's basketball, so to win this award is really special. But to be back here (at the Final Four) to be playing with my team, I couldn't script it any better .... This is just as much yours as it is mine .... I'm just very grateful and thankful and I will see you Friday night."

Clark, the presumed No. 1 overall pick in this month's WNBA draft, becomes the eighth different Division I women's college basketball player to win the award in consecutive seasons. The West Des Moines native joins the likes of Cheryl Miller (1984-1986), Dawn Staley (1991-92), Chamique Holdsclaw (1998-99), Diana Taurasi (2003-04), Seimone Augustus (2005-06), Brittney Griner (2012-13) and Breanna Stewart (2014-16) in doing so.

Clark is averaging 32.3 points per game in the NCAA Tournament this season as she looks to lead Iowa to its first national championship title. Iowa will take on No. 3 seed UConn at 9:30 pm ET on Friday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in the Final Four.