Caitlin Clark just broke the women’s basketball scoring record. Who’s the best in Kentucky?

Caroline Makauskas

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark on Thursday night eclipsed the NCAA Division I women’s basketball career scoring record during the No. 4 Hawkeyes’ game against Michigan in Iowa City.

Clark’s basket with 7:45 remaining in the first quarter, pushed her career total to 3,528 points, surpassing the record of 3,527 held by Washington’s Kelsey Plum in 2017. Clark entered Thursday night needing eight points to break the record in her 126th career game.

We’ll take a look below at how Clark’s record stands up against some of the top players in the history of women’s basketball in Kentucky but, first, a little more context surrounding Clark.

Clark finished Iowa’s 106-89 victory over Michigan with 49 points, inflating the record to 3,569 by night’s end.

With five regular-season games remaining plus the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments, Clark has a chance to extend her record significantly more. Though unlikely, it’s not inconceivable Clark could return to Iowa for a fifth, pandemic-created season next year and make the record untouchable.

Clark is averaging a nation-high 32.8 points per game during her senior season. Iowa is tied for second place in the Big Ten standings with Indiana, one game behind Ohio State.

Officially, Clark is now the sport’s career scoring leader. Unofficially, that honor belongs to Lynette Woodard, a four-time All-American at Kansas who totaled 3,649 points during her four-year career with the Jayhawks from 1978-81. Woodard is not considered the official Division I leader because her tenure occurred prior to the NCAA’s sponsoring of women’s college basketball in 1982. Woodard also achieved her total prior to the three-point shot’s introduction to the women’s game in 1988.

Clark is one of two active players quickly rising on the all-time scoring list. Syracuse graduate guard Dyashia Fair, who played at Buffalo from 2019-21, ranks sixth all-time with 3,224 points.

Here was the official top 10 immediately after Clark set the record Thursday night:

1. Caitlin Clark, Iowa (2020-present): 3,569

2. Kelsey Plum, Washington (2013-17): 3,527

3. Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State (2014-18): 3,402

4. Jackie Stiles, Missouri State (1997-01): 3,393

5. Brittney Griner, Baylor (2009-13): 3,283

6. Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo/Syracuse (2019-present): 3,224

7. Patricia Hoskins, Mississippi Valley State (1986-89): 3,122

8. Lorri Bauman, Drake (1980-84): 3,115

9. Jerica Coley, Florida International (2010-14): 3,107

10. Rachel Banham, Minnesota (2011-16): 3,093

Clark has also moved into third place on the overall NCAA Division I career scoring list. She now trails only Pete Maravich (3,667) and Antoine Davis (3,664).

1. Pete Maravich, LSU (1967-70): 3,667

2. Antoine Davis, Detroit Mercy (2018-23): 3,664

3. Caitlin Clark, Iowa (2020-present): 3,569

4. Kelsey Plum, Washington (2014-18): 3,527

5. Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State (2014-18): 3,402

6. Jackie Stiles, Missouri State (1997-01): 3,393

7. Brittney Griner, Baylor (2009-13): 3,283

8. Freeman Williams, Portland State (1974-78): 3,249

9. Chris Clemens, Campbell (2015-19): 3,225

10. Dyaisha Fair, Buffalo/Syracuse (2019-present): 3,224

Former University of Kentucky star Valerie Still was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Former University of Kentucky star Valerie Still was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.

Clark vs. Kentucky

Clark’s achievement puts her more than 800 points ahead of Valerie Still (1979-83), the career scoring leader in the history of University of Kentucky men’s and women’s basketball, who finished her storied career with 2,763 points. Here are UK’s career women’s scoring leaders:

1. Valerie Still (1979-83): 2,763

2. Rhyne Howard (2018-22): 2,290

3. A’dia Mathies (2009-13): 2,014

4. Victoria Dunlap (2007-11): 1,846

5. Leslie Nichols (1982-86): 1,797

6. Makayla Epps (2013-17): 1,790

7. Maci Morris (2015-19): 1,692

8. Samantha Mahoney (2004-08): 1,601

9. Pam Browning (1974-78): 1,598

10. Sara Potts (2001-05): 1,563

11. Sarah Elliott (2004-08): 1,502

12. Elisabeth Lukschu (1977-81): 1,488

13. Selia Helm (2000-04): 1,487

14. Stacey Reed (1991-95): 1,482

15. Jennifer O’Neill (2010-15): 1,449

Caitlin Clark’s total bests everyone, of course, so that also includes former Western Kentucky University center and current UK assistant coach Crystal Kelly’s career total of 2,803 points set from 2005-08. Kelly leads all women’s players in the history of the state of Kentucky’s eight Division I programs in career points.

You can find the career men’s leader at every Division I school in Kentucky here.

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