Iowa's Caitlin Clark nearing POY award sweep after winning Ann Meyers Drysdale award, Wade Trophy

DALLAS — Four down, one to go for Caitlin Clark.

The Iowa women's basketball standout is closing in on a player of the year award sweep after winning the Ann Meyers Drysdale award Friday and the Wade Trophy Thursday. The former is handed out to the player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, while the latter is given to the player of the year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Those awards come on the heels of Clark winning the Naismith Trophy Wednesday and the Associated Press player of the year award Thursday. She'll go for the player of the year sweep when the Wooden Award winner is announced on April 7.

"This is the most fun time I've had playing basketball this year, Clark said. "That's why the product has been so good for myself and this team because I'm just going out there and having fun and enjoying what I do.

"It's not to win an award. It's not for our team to hoist trophies. I think that has all come because we've played with the same love of the game we've had since we were young girls. I'm going to enjoy every single second of it. I've tried to enjoy every single second of it."

Eighteen times this season Clark has poured in 25-plus points, five-plus assists and five-plus rebounds — an NCAA record. She’s the only player in the country with more than 950 points, 300 assists, 240 rebounds and 45 steals this year.

Clark is also the first player in Division I women’s basketball history with more than 900 points and 300 assists in the same campaign. It’s no surprise Clark ranks top-five nationally in at least 10 offensive categories.

Her Hawkeyes will take on unbeaten South Carolina in Friday's Final Four matchup at 8:30 p.m. inside Dallas' American Airlines Center.

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com.