Another woman to pass: Caitlin Clark chasing Lynette Woodard's mark

Field Level Media|published: Wed 28th February, 16:52 2024

Iowa's Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles as Illinois s Makira Cook (3) defends Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. credits: Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Caitlin Clark holds the NCAA all-time scoring record but she still stands behind Hall of Famer Lynette Woodard on the major women's scoring list.

Clark needs 33 points on Wednesday night against Minnesota to pass Woodard, who starred for Kansas from 1977-81. Clark has 3,617 career points and Woodard scored 3,649.

The catch is that the NCAA didn't sanction women's basketball during Woodard's stellar career and doesn't recognize her statistics. At that time, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was the governing body for college women's basketball.

Earlier this week, Woodard called on the NCAA to recognize her accomplishments.

"I want the NCAA governing body to know that they should respect the (AIAW) players. They should respect the history. Include us and our accomplishments," Woodard said on ESPN. "This is the era of diversity, equity and inclusion. They should include us. We deserve it."

Asked what she would say if Clark passed her, Woodard said, "Congratulations, welcome to the party."

Woodard was a four-time All-American at Kansas, won a gold medal for the United States in the 1984 Olympics and became the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. She was elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004.

—Field Level Media