Women’s College Basketball: Hawkeyes tied for sixth in USA Today/WBCA Preseason Coaches Poll; Clrak wins preseason awards

IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa women’s basketball team is tied for sixth nationally in the USA Today/WBCA Preseason Coaches Poll. The announcement was made on Wednesday and the Hawkeyes are the highest ranked team in the Big Ten.

A season ago, Iowa was ranked No. 10 nationally in the same preseason poll and tallied 24 victories. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament, a share of the regular season title, and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa finished the season ranked 14th.

Bluder’s squad returns all five starters from a year ago — Caitlin Clark, Monika Czinano, Gabbie Marshall, Kate Martin, and McKenna Warnock.

The Hawkeyes were also picked as the Big Ten preseason favorite. Clark has been tabbed as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, All-Big Ten by coaches and media (unanimous), Nancy Lieberman Preseason Watch List, and an AP All-American (unanimous). Czinano was unanimously recognized by the coaches on the preseason all-conference team and is on the Lisa Leslie Preseason Watch List.

The sixth-ranked Hawkeyes open the 2022-23 season with an exhibition against Nebraska-Kearney on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

University of Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark was unanimously tabbed by the Associated Press a Preseason Women’s Basketball All-American on Tuesday. She is the only player in program history to receive this honor in back-to-back years.

Clark earned Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and was unanimously voted first team preseason All-Big Ten. She was also named to the Nancy Lieberman Watch List earlier this month.

During her sophomore campaign, Clark led the country in points (27.0) and assists (8.0) per game, total points (863), free throws made (200), triple-doubles (5), and 30-point games (11). The West Des Moines, Iowa, native also was recognized as Big Ten Player of the Year and was a Naismith and Wooden Award finalist in 2022.

Clark was named the national Preseason Player of the Year and an All-American by The Athletic on Wednesday. This is the seventh preseason honor for Clark.

Earlier this month, Clark has been tabbed as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, All-Big Ten by coaches and media (unanimous), Nancy Lieberman Preseason Watch List, and an AP All-American (unanimous).