Naismith Women's College Player of the Year: Full list of semifinalists ft. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and more

The Naismith Women's College Player of the Year race is heating up, with 10 standout players making the cut in the list announced on Thursday for the award given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Among the contenders is last year's winner, Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark, who has continued her dominance in the women’s 2023-24 college basketball season.

2024 Naismith Women's College Player of the Year finalists

Here are 10 semifinalists for this year's award:

• Cameron Brink, F, Stanford
• Madison Booker, F, Texas
• Paige Bueckers, G, UConn
• Kamilla Cardoso, C, South Carolina
• Caitlin Clark, G, Iowa
• Hannah Hidalgo, G, Notre Dame
• Elizabeth Kitley, C, Virginia Tech
• Angel Reese, F, LSU
• Jacy Sheldon, G, Ohio State
• JuJu Watkins, G, USC

Favorites for the Naismith Award ft. Caitlin Clark

Clark's exceptional performance this season has put her in pole position as a frontrunner for the prestigious award. Leading Division I in scoring (32.1) and assists (8.3), the 22-year-old senior at Iowa has been decisive in her team's success.

Despite facing the departure of key teammates (Monika Czinano and McKenna Warnock), Clark has shouldered the responsibility admirably, leading the Hawkeyes to an impressive record (29-3, 15-4 Big Ten).

While Caitlin Clark remains in the driving seat, other candidates like Kamilla Cardoso, who averages 9.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game, and Te-Hina Paopao, averaging 12 ppg and 3.8 apg, have also made their presence count for their respective teams.

The emergence of freshmen talents like JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo also adds an exciting perspective to the competition. As the season progresses, the race for the Naismith Women's College Player of the Year award promises to be intense.

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