It’s that time of the year again! March Madness is one of the most popular tournaments in basketball history. However, March Madness would not be as popular without the bracket competition. At least 70 million brackets are filled out by Americans each year and over 2 billion dollars are bet on these games. Both male and female athletes add to the entertainment, however, women’s basketball is often overlooked. The fact that women do not have as big of a platform is because of the lack of advertisement and the inherent unfairness of a bigger system that favors male athletes over female athletes. Women’s athletics have evolved and they have made history, caused upsets, and never failed to entertain their fans. It is time to tune in and watch our female athletes set new records for both leagues.
On Sunday, March 26, one athlete competing in this tournament made history as the first athlete in NCAA tournament history to reach a 40-point triple-double. Who was it? Her name is Caitlin Clark. Clark proved that she could make history not just in her league but in the men’s league as well. Caitlin Clark is a six-foot junior at the University of Iowa. She is debatably the most talented female basketball player in the country. She also leads the nation in assists per game, triple-doubles, and 3-pointers. Clark is also the second Iowa women’s basketball player to receive the Naismith Trophy. When asked about who Caitlin Clark is, Stone Davis ‘26 says, “I don’t know who she is.” This is not an uncommon response from a student. Many people do not know who Caitlin Clark is or what she has done. After watching her outstanding performance against South Carolina, Davis ‘26 compared her to Steph Curry. Clark’s sharp shooting and tremendous vision of the court help her stick out. As of right now, Clark is one of the faces of women’s basketball. She has never failed to prove dominance in the women’s league and now the men’s.
Another reason why Women’s March Madness shouldn’t be overlooked is because of the intriguing upsets. #9 seed Miami shocked their competitors by beating #1 seed, Indiana. This advanced them to the Elite 8. Miami was led by a senior Haley Cavinder. Unfortunately, Miami’s luck came to an end when they fell to #3 seed, LSU. On April 2, LSU won their first March Madness championship. This was unexpected by all the fans because the Hawkeyes were favored. Izzy Winchell ‘26 was asked about what she expected from this championship game. She expressed, “I thought Iowa would have some trouble rebounding but LSU wouldn’t be able to shut down Iowa’s offense more specifically Caitlin Clark. If the Tigers wanted any chance of winning, they had to stop Clark from having another 40-point game like the past two games.” Despite Caitlin Clark leading all scorers on both teams with 30 points and Iowa with assists, the Hawkeyes still lost by 17.
Clearly, these female athletes are not getting the attention they deserve by just their hard work and athletic abilities. Many athletes are aware of this and use social media to create a platform to bring more attention. One example is LSU player Angel Reese. Many basketball fans did not know who she was before she started to gain attention on social media sites like Instagram or TikTok. On TikTok, Angel Reese has almost 800k followers. Currently, she is using this platform to post videos about her recent win over Iowa in the championship. Her use of this platform has brought so much attention to the women’s league. Another set of influential athletes is the Cavinder twins. The two seniors have gained so much attention since their transfer from Fresno State to the University of Miami. Haley and Hanna have over 4.5 million followers on TikTok and over 85k subscribers on YouTube. Not only do they influence young athletes, but they also give you a peek into their lives as D-1 stars. Their videos date back all the way to their freshman year as Fresno State bulldogs. Angel Reese and the Cavinder twins have succeeded in bringing attention to their team, school, and league!
In conclusion, these women are paving the way for other female athletes and bringing positive attention to the league. These athletes made history, and their return next year is highly anticipated. Many fans wonder if this year’s eventful tournament will result in a change of respect for these women. Let’s hope for the future outstanding athletes, it does.
