Caitlin Clark: How The Catholic Star Captivated A Nation And Rewrote The Record Books
NEW YORK — Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark is a lot of things to many people. To fans, she’s known for breaking NCAA records. To her teammates, she’s the one they are looking at to spearhead a national title run after getting Iowa to the Final Four. And to those in the sports marketing business, she’s a budding star who will be playing in the WNBA next season.
To her friends and family, the 6-foot tall guard is also a practicing Catholic.
Clark, a rising star and possibly the greatest women’s basketball player ever, has captured the attention of the sports world with her remarkable skills and performances on the court. There are several factors that contribute to her greatness as a basketball player. One of them, according to those who know Clark, is her faith.
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As a student at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2018, Clark wasn’t shy about expressing her Catholicism.
“We get to live our faith every day. Dowling starts every day with prayer and ends every day with prayer,” she told the Des Moines Register. “This is a big reason why Dowling has such a special culture and is such a special place to go to school.”
Six years later, Clark, 22, is a star and has led Iowa to the Final Four after losing to LSU in last year’s championship game. In the process, she has become the most prolific scorer in the history of college basketball — men or women — after shattering the all-time points record this season.
On March 3, ahead of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, she became the all-time points leader by surpassing “Pistol” Pete Maravich. He had scored 3,667 in three seasons (1967 to 1970) at LSU. Clark finished the day with 35 points, putting her at 3,685. She’s only added to that total over the last four weeks.
Records and accolades aside, Iowa, ranked No. 1, faces No. 3 UConn for a shot at Sunday’s championship game at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. Winning it all would put a fairytale ending to what has been a remarkable college career.
Clark, a native of Des Moines, attends St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines, her family’s home parish, when she’s home. As a child, she attended St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, her local parish school, before going to Dowling for high school.
Those close to Clark have said she has continued to live out her faith every day. Clark’s high school coach, Kristin Meyer, said her former player has used the gifts God has given her and utilized them to the fullest potential on the court.
“She knows that she has some talents that other people weren’t necessarily born with, and she’s just looking to maximize them not just for herself but for her teammates, and on an even bigger scope for the fans,” Meyer told Crux.
She added: “It’s not just about scoring a lot of points or winning; [Clark] loves playing in front of a sold out arena because she gets to entertain people and bring a smile to their face. For two hours she lets them have this great experience and she takes that pretty seriously, and knows that those gifts from God are an opportunity to bring joy to other people.”
Clark possesses an exceptional basketball IQ. Her understanding of the game — combined with her ability to read defenses, make split-second decisions and shoot from the three-point arc — has set her apart from many, past and present, in the college game.
In fact, whether it's finding an open teammate or exploiting gaps in the defense to create scoring chances for herself, Clark has consistently demonstrated a high level of basketball intelligence.
In addition, she possesses extraordinary skills with the ball. Her ball-handling ability is unparalleled, allowing her to navigate through defenders with ease and create space for herself or her teammates. Whether it's driving to the basket with a lightning-quick first step or pulling up for a shot, Clark’s versatility as a scorer — especially from the three-point line — had made her a constant threat in and around the hoop.
USA Today sports columnist Nancy Armour said Clark’s “impact is immense.”
“This is a watershed time for all of women’s sports, but Clark is taking it to a next level,” she added. “It feels similar to what [Michael] Jordan did for the NBA after Magic [Johnson] and [Larry] Bird had laid the foundation.”
Beyond her individual skills, Clark also possesses intangible qualities that contribute to her success on the court. She is a fierce competitor who never backs down from a challenge, always striving to elevate her game and lead her team to victory.
Her work ethic and dedication, byproducts of her faith, in relentless pursuit of excellence have gotten her far. How so? Clark’s brother Blake is always texting his sister reminders to say her rosary and go to the church near campus.
Father Joseph Pins, pastor of St. Francis, has known Clark and her family for years. He told Crux that the entire parish community is “very proud of Caitlin” for all she’s done this season.
“We’re proud of our alumna who has done such a great, great, great, thing in life,” he said. “It’s always good as we form children to watch this go through and see success not just on the basketball court but also in her faith life.”
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor of Religion Unplugged. He previously served as deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and a longtime reporter at The New York Post. Follow him on X @ClementeLisi.