Although basketball is a team sport, sometimes one person can leave a mark on the game forever. 

Iowa basketball player, Caitlin Clark, has been able to do just that. On Feb. 15, Clark surpassed Kelsey Plum to become the all-time leading scorer in the history of women’s college basketball. Clark came into Thursday’s game only needing eight points to surpass Plum. 

Predictably, Clark did not waste any time and hit an incredible three-point shot near the half-court logo to break the record only a few minutes into the game. After Clark made the shot, the game briefly stopped so she could be honored for her milestone. During the stoppage, Clark received a standing ovation from the Iowa fans and she embraced her coaches, teammates and family.

As the game resumed, Clark continued to light up the scoreboard. The Iowa standout spent the rest of the game hitting long-range shots and making defenders pay for leaving her open. Clark ended up finishing the game with a career-high 49 points, but that wasn’t the only stat category that saw her presence.  She also created opportunities for her teammates to score and get involved, finishing the game with 13 assists. 

When asked about her breaking the record after the game, it was clear that Clark was confident in her ability to hit the shot, saying, “Y’all knew I was gonna shoot a logo three for the record, come on now.”

Iowa’s franchise player and her incredible run this season has drawn the attention of multiple figures in basketball. Stephen Curry praised Clark for her confidence in the range she shoots from and called her a “performer.” Some have even gone as far as to claim that Clark is one of the greatest women’s college basketball players of all time. 

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal said Clark is “the best female collegiate player ever.” South Carolina coach, Dawn Staley, agreed with O’Neal, saying that Clark will “go down in the history books as probably the best player to grace collegiate sports.”

Despite all the added pressure and media attention, the most impressive aspect of Clark is how she carries herself off the court. Clark prides herself on being a leader and a reliable teammate. 

Clark has explained that “The amount of points you score doesn’t determine whether you are playing good or bad…our point total is never an indicator of how you play.” The all-time scoring lead continued and mentioned, “It’s how hard you work and how good of a teammate you are.” 

Additionally, Clark also believes she has a platform to be a role model for young people. After a loss to LSU in last season’s national championship game, Clark became emotional and said “I want my legacy to be the impact that I have on young kids and the people in the state of Iowa.”

Even though Clark has already made history, she has an opportunity to leave an even greater mark on college basketball history. If the dynamic guard keeps up her pace of high-scoring performances, it is possible that Clark could pass Pete Maravich to become the all-time leading scorer in college basketball, regardless of gender. Clark will also look to avenge last year’s loss to LSU and cap off her career at Iowa with a national championship.