“I don’t think my record has been broken": Lynette Woodard disapproves $3.2M NIL-valued Caitlin Clark's scoring record amid Iowa's March Madness run
Caitlin Clark, who has a NIL value of $3.2 million (per On3), has had an incredible season and college basketball career. The Iowa Hawkeyes guard broke the all-time scoring record this season while helping the Hawkeyes reach the women's national championship game against the South Carolina Gamecocks.
However, one person does not think that Clark has broken the record, retired American basketball Hall of Fame player, Lynette Woodard. Clutchpoints shared her thoughts on X:
"I do not think my record has been broken because you cannot duplicate what you are not duplicating. So unless you come with a men's basketball and a two point shot. You know."
Lynette Woodward played college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks between 1977 and 1981. While with the Jayhawks, Woodward was a four-time All-American and appeared in three post-seasons, but the Jayhawks would only reach as far as the Sweet Sixteen on one occasion.
Individually, Woodward was a standout player. She averaged 26 points per game and scored a total of 3,649 points during her four years with the Jayhawks. This was the all-time points scoring record until Clark broke it this season with 3,921 points heading into the national championship game.
However, as Woodward says, the conditions and the state that women's college basketball was in then are completely different from what they are now. While the likes of Caitlin Clark have been able to turn the game into something that resembles the men's game, there are a few things that will always remain different between the two.
One of these things is the size of the ball. Today, women's basketballs are slightly smaller than the male equivalent to make it easier for players to throw and control. Back when Woodward was playing, this was not the case, and the women played with the same ball as the men.
This could make Woodward's record more impressive than Clark's, but there is another factor of the era she played in that means her record may never be officially recognized.
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Lynette Woodard's record was never recognized
Lynette Woodward had the all-time points scoring record, but in the eyes of the NCAA, this record does not stand. Woodward commented:
"My record was hidden from everyone for 43 years."
This is due to the NCAA not recognizing women's athletics. From 1971 to 1983, women's athletics was organized by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). During these 12 years, the AIAW organized women's basketball tournaments in which Lynette Woodward played and set her record.
The NCAA refused to acknowledge her record, giving it to the athlete who scored the most points in their sanctioned competitions, which is Caitlin Clark.
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