The NCAA women’s basketball has come to an end with several matchups setting the record as the most-watched game only to be outdone by the next one. Those games featured Iowa Hawkeyes’ star Caitlin Clark.
One of the most polarizing players was a vital reason why. After the national championship game ended, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley made sure to pay her respects to Clark.
“I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport,” the coach said. “She carried a heavy load for our sport and it just is not gonna stop here on the collegiate tour. But when she is the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft, she’s gonna lift that league up as well. So Caitlin Clark if you’re out there, you are one of the GOATs of our game. We appreciate you.”
After a historic season, we have the final coaches poll for women’s basketball.
Final USA TODAY Sports women’s coaches poll
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina | 38-0 | 750 (30) | – |
| 2 | Iowa | 34-5 | 720 | – |
| 3 | UConn | 33-6 | 678 | +4 |
| 4 | North Carolina State | 31-7 | 645 | +7 |
| 5 | Texas | 33-5 | 593 | -1 |
| 6 | USC | 29-6 | 590 | -3 |
| 7 | LSU | 31-6 | 572 | -1 |
| 8 | Stanford | 30-6 | 518 | -3 |
| 9 | UCLA | 27-7 | 513 | -1 |
| 10 | Oregon State | 27-8 | 470 | +5 |
| 11 | Notre Dame | 28-7 | 452 | -1 |
| 12 | Indiana | 26-6 | 385 | +2 |
| 13 | Gonzaga | 32-4 | 352 | – |
| 14 | Ohio State | 26-6 | 343 | -5 |
| 15 | Baylor | 26-8 | 310 | +3 |
| 16 | Colorado | 24-10 | 295 | +1 |
| 17 | Virginia Tech | 25-8 | 262 | -5 |
| 18 | Kansas State | 26-8 | 210 | -2 |
| 19 | Creighton | 26-6 | 170 | +1 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 23-10 | 166 | +1 |
| 21 | Duke | 22-12 | 149 | – |
| 22 | Utah | 23-11 | 121 | – |
| 23 | Syracuse | 24-8 | 115 | – |
| 24 | UNLV | 30-3 | 100 | -5 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 25-8 | 75 | +1 |
Schools Dropped Out
No. 24 Princeton; No. 25 Louisville
Others Receiving Votes
Iowa State 52; Louisville 29; Tennessee 27; Middle Tennessee 25; Nebraska 17; Princeton 15; Ole Miss 15; Fairfield 5; Richmond 3; Alabama 3; North Carolina 2; South Dakota State 1; Kansas 1; Jackson State 1
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