Former KU Jayhawks star says Caitlin Clark didn’t break her all-time scoring record
On second thought, maybe Iowa’s Caitlin Clark didn’t break Lynette Woodard’s career scoring record for a major college women’s basketball player ...
At least according to Woodard.
At the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association convention, held on Saturday in conjunction with the Final Four in Cleveland, Woodard said she continues to own the record, which she set while playing at Kansas from 1977-81.
Women’s basketball was not part of the NCAA at the time. Instead, it was contested under auspice of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.
Woodard finished with 3,649 career points at KU, but her statistics aren’t recognized by the NCAA. Clark surpassed that total in a February game at Minnesota.
Woodard claims the record, or a record, remains hers.
“I am the hidden figure, but no longer now,” she said. “My record was hidden from everyone for 43 years. I don’t think ...
“I’ll just go ahead and get the elephant out of the room: I don’t think my record has been broken because you can’t duplicate what you’re not duplicating. So unless you come with a men’s basketball and a 2-point shot ...”
There was no 3-point shot in women’s (or men’s) college basketball when Woodard played. And the women’s game’s smaller basketball — by one full inch, in circumference — was not introduced until 1984.
Clark scored 30 points in the Hawkeyes’ 87-75 loss to South Carolina in Sunday’s NCAA championship game. She finished her Hawkeyes career with 3,951 points.
As Clark’s scoring total was climbing, and it appeared inevitable that she would become the NCAA’s career-points leader, Woodard issued a statement through her publicist to KSNT.
“I am proud of my record that has stood for 43 years,” Woodard said. “I played from 1977 until 1981, when women’s basketball was governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Back then, collegiate women’s players used a larger basketball and we did not have a 3-point line.
“In honoring Caitlin’s accomplishments, I hope that we can also shine a light on the pioneers who paved the way before her. Women’s basketball has a glorious history that predates the NCAA’s involvement. I applaud Caitlin for everything she has done and look forward to watching her score many more points for years to come.”
Iowa coach Lisa Bluder said after Clark surpassed Woodard that she considered that to be the actual milestone achievement.
“The AIAW record that Lynette Woodard held — that was the real one,” Bluder said. “There’s no reason why that should not be the true record. At a school like Iowa, that has been so rich in AIAW history, I just make sure we acknowledge Lynette’s accomplishments in the game of basketball.”
This story was originally published April 7, 2024 at 5:27 PM.