Iowa star Caitlin Clark headlines Wooden Award top 15 - ESPN

The record-breaking Caitlin Clark of the Iowa Hawkeyes headlines the 15-player national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, it was announced on ESPN's «College GameDay» on Sunday.

Clark, who was recently named Big Ten Player of the Year for the third time, is featured on the list alongside four other newly tabbed conference players of the year: the Stanford Cardinal's Cameron Brink (Pac-12), UConn Huskies' Paige Bueckers (Big East), Virginia Tech Hokies' Elizabeth Kitley (ACC) and LSU Tigers' Angel Reese (SEC).

Two freshmen were included as well: the USC Trojans' JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame Fighting Irish's Hannah Hidalgo.

The ballot is rounded out by the Hokies' Georgia Amoore, South Carolina Gamecocks' Kamilla Cardoso, Huskies' Aaliyah Edwards, Indiana Hoosiers' Mackenzie Holmes, Cardinal's Kiki Iriafen, Kansas State Wildcats' Ayoka Lee, LSU's Aneesah Morrow and Utah Utes' Alissa Pili.

The award is given annually to the most outstanding player in women's college basketball. Bueckers (2021) and Clark (2023) took home two of the past three honors.

Voters will next release a 10-player All-America team before the Wooden Award winner is announced later in the spring.