WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark was honored as the winner of the prestigious USA TODAY Studio IX Trailblazer Award during the 2024-25 Iowa High School Sports Awards show in Des Moines this month.
The award, presented at 17 different live high school awards shows across the country this year, was designed to celebrate women who paved the way for future generations in the world of sports. Her dedication, passion and relentless pursuit of excellence have not only set new standards but also inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps.
Clark is the youngest recipient of the award this year. She was chosen for her dominating career at Dowling Catholic (Iowa) High School, her excellence at the University of Iowa, and now dynamic rise with the Indiana Fever. Clark’s stardom over the years has been a huge factor in the recent surge in popularity of women’s basketball, not only in Iowa but worldwide.
Clark was a McDonald’s All-American in high school. In college, she led Iowa to back-to-back national title games while being named a four-time USBWA All-American and a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year (2023 and 2024).
In 2024, she was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year after completing her career at Iowa and being selected with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft by the Fever. She went on to win the league’s Rookie of the Year award.
Clark’s popularity is widely credited with helping women’s college basketball and the WNBA experience big jumps in average attendance and average television ratings – especially during games in which she participates.
Clark is in the middle of her WNBA season and could not travel to Des Moines to receive the award in person.
The Iowa High School Sports Awards are part of the USA Today High School Sports Awards, an annual nine-month program that culminated with 19 live events nationwide. During each of these shows, over 300 athletes were celebrated, with players of the year recognized in over 30 sports.
The USA Today Studio IX Trailblazer Award has been a popular new addition to the shows this year. Here is a brief roundup of the other winners.
Volusia-Flagler High School Sports Awards, Presented by Halifax Health – Bridgette Gordon: One of the most decorated athletes to emerge from Volusia-Flagler, Gordon led DeLand to a historic state basketball title before becoming a two-time NCAA champion, Olympian, and WNBA pioneer. Her coaching career spans more than two decades, culminating in her appointment as head coach at Florida A&M in 2023.