By Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson, who both helped elevate the game of women’s college basketball, had their respective No. 22 jersey retired Sunday at the schools where they became bona fide superstars.
Clark, the all-time leading scorer in NCAA men’s and women’s Division I basketball history, had her jersey raised to the rafters at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, after the Iowa Hawkeyes’ 76-69 upset win against the No. 4 USC Trojans.
Clark thanked her former teammates who were in attendance for the ceremony.
“I’m pretty overwhelmed right now,” the West Des Moines, Iowa, native told the sold-out crowd. “I wouldn’t be here without any of you and a lot of you came back. You all have busy schedules and that just speaks to the culture of this place, so selfless. I know my number is up there, but it wouldn’t be if it weren’t for all of you.”
Clark led Iowa to two consecutive national title games. In her senior season, she led the nation in scoring (31.6 per game) and assists (8.9 per game).
She also showed some love to her former head coach and everyone who has supported her throughout her career.
“There wasn’t many people when I first signed here when I said, ‘I wanted to take this place to the Final Four’ that they kind of laughed at me and Coach (Lisa Bluder) was literally the only person that agreed with me, thank God, or else we probably wouldn’t be here. I’m just very lucky and fortunate.”
Clark added: “To all the people that just poured into me over the course of my career, from the people that don’t get any recognition, from our media team, to our managers, all of you that have given so much of yourselves to allow me to be who I am, thank you. I can’t say it enough. I wouldn’t be here without all of you.”
The 23-year-old is the only Division I player, man or woman, to lead her conference (Big Ten) in scoring and assists in four consecutive seasons. She was selected to the All-Big Ten first team four times in four years, the first to ever do so in program history.
The Indiana Fever picked her with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2024 WNBA draft. The National Player of the Year capped off a historic career at Iowa by having a groundbreaking year in her first season in the league. Clark won the 2024 Rookie of the Year award in a near-unanimous vote.
A’ja Wilson: ‘I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy’
Wilson got very emotional as her jersey was lifted to the Colonial Life Arena’s rafters in Columbia, South Carolina, before No. 2 Gamecocks’ 83-66 victory over the Auburn Tigers.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy to have my jersey retired at the University of South Carolina, the place where my dreams began is an honor I can hardly put into words,” the school’s first four-time All-American and National Player of the Year in 2018 told the Gamecock faithful.
“Columbia, South Carolina, is my home and it shaped me not just as an athlete but as a person. As I would look up in the in the rafters and see my jersey, I’m reminded how important it is to chase your dreams without fear.”
South Carolina’s all-time leading scorer still currently holds 22 school records. Wilson led the Gamecocks to their first Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament title, first NCAA Final Four and first NCAA national championship. She is also the first player in SEC history to win the Player of the Year three times.
The 28-year-old expressed gratitude to the “incredible” fans and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley for their support.
“You fill this arena with energy and passion, making every game an unforgettable experience. It’s a privilege to be a Gamecock, to be a part of this community and one of the greatest honors of my life was representing Garnet and Black every night.”
She continued: “Thank you coach for seeing the light in me even when I couldn’t see it in myself and for showing me that it’s not about the destination but the journey and the people you meet along the way.”
Wilson was the top overall selection in the 2018 WNBA draft by the Las Vegas Aces as she became the first South Carolina player to accomplish that feat. Wilson was unanimously selected 2018 WNBA Rookie of the Year.
In 2021, South Carolina honored Wilson with an 11-foot bronze statue outside the main entrance of the arena.
Last season, Wilson was unanimously named the WNBA MVP, her third time winning the award and set the record for the most points in a WNBA season
The No. 22 jersey will never be worn by any women’s college basketball player at Iowa or South Carolina.
