Discover the top five women’s college basketball scoring leaders of all time and learn about the rising popularity of the sport and its talented players making history.
Photo Courtesy of Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports/Dyaisha Fair
The popularity of women’s college basketball is on the rise, and from the looks of things, it will continue to do so. There are talented players out there, and they are putting up big numbers. They are making history, and fans are taking notice. With a special talent recently becoming the all-time leading scorer (both men and women), it is a great time to look at some of the top scorers in women’s college basketball history. Here are the top five women’s college basketball scoring leaders of all time.
1.) Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark is an exceptional player, and she continues to make history. Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I women’s basketball last month with a 49-point performance. She came into that game eight points short of the record. She broke the record in the first quarter. Clark did not stop there, and this month, she broke another record. Clark became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history (men and women). Pete Maravich held that record for years. Maravich attended Louisiana State University from 1967-1970, and put up impressive numbers during that time. He averaged over 40 points each season. In his final year with the Tigers, Maravich averaged 44.5 points.
Maravich’s record stood the test of time, and in her final year with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Clark surpassed it. Clark now has 3,685 points, and she still has a chance to add more points before she leaves. It will be interesting to see what she finishes with before she prepares for her WNBA career.
2.) Kelsey Plum
Kelsey Plum is a familiar name in women’s basketball. She currently plays for the WNBA and is a member of the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces. Plum is doing well in the WNBA, and before that, she was a star at the University of Washington. Plum played for the Huskies from 2013-2017. She averaged 25.4 points during her college career, and she finished her career with a total of 3,527 points. Her senior year was especially impressive, as she became the all-time leading scorer (men and women) in Pac-12 history. She also became the 12th woman to reach 3,000 points in NCAA Division I history. She became the all-time leading scorer in women’s basketball (before Clark broke her record) with a 57-point game against the Utah Utes.
Plum went on to become the first pick of the 2017 WNBA draft. She was drafted by the San Antonio Stars, who later became the Las Vegas Aces. She was key in the Aces’ championships. And as the Aces look to win another, she will be key to their success.
3.) Kelsey Mitchell
Kelsey Mitchell is a member of the Indiana Fever. She was the second pick of the 2018 WNBA Draft. Before joining the Fever, Mitchell played for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Mitchell played with the Buckeyes from 2014 to 2018. She averaged 24.5 points in her years as a Buckeye, with her best season being her sophomore year (when she averaged 26.1 points).
Mitchell finished her college career with 3,402 (which made her second at the time with Plum being first). Mitchell has been a strong player collegiately and professionally. And with the Fever having the first pick of this year’s draft (and likely drafting Clark), the Fever will have players to build around.
4.) Jackie Stiles
Jackie Stiles was a talented player who played for Southwest Missouri State University (which is now Missouri State). She played for them from 1997 to 2001. Stiles was an exciting player who caught people’s attention. She was the first NCAA women’s basketball player to score more than 1,000 points in a season. She did that in her senior year. She also helped Southwest Missouri State upset Duke (the top seed) in the 2001 Sweet 16 the same year by scoring 41 points.
Stiles finished her college career with a total of 3,393. This record stood for some time before Kelsey Plum passed her. Stiles went on to become the fourth pick of the 2001 WNBA draft, where she was selected by the Portland Fire. She went on to win Rookie of the Year. However, injuries impacted her professional career. There is a documentary on Stiles and her career called “The Jackie Stiles Story” that is worth checking out and discusses her career and the things she encountered.
5.) Dyaisha Fair
Dyaisha Fair is a player for the Syracuse Orange. She began her college career with the University of Buffalo Bulls but transferred to Syracuse after her junior year. Fair is the second player on this list that is still playing Division I basketball (Clark being the first). Fair managed to reach 3,000 points this year (her graduate year) and has a total of 3,328. She has played well throughout her career and this year she cemented her place among the top scorers in women’s college basketball.
Women’s college basketball is on the rise, and as time goes on, other players could add their names to this list.Â
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