On the Rise Women's College Basketball

By Katy Smiley

  Women's college basketball has always fallen below men's. Many people think it’s slow and boring and find no interest in watching. But, it has seen a tremendous growth in supporters, fans, and viewers in the past few seasons. As more and more talented players come to Power 5 conference schools, the game has become more fun to watch. This was proven through the 103% viewer increase for the women's 2023 NCAA tournament. Over 10 million viewers watched the final game between the Iowa Lady Hawkeyes and LSU Lady Tigers, which was record breaking. The matchup between the 6 '3 post player from LSU, Angel Reese, and the 6' 0 point guard from Iowa, Cailin Clark, was one no one wanted to miss. Their influence went beyond the basketball court, as they were also social media and commercial influencers. Some would consider this game vital for transforming the popularity of women's college basketball. Transitioning into the 2023-24 season, the fan base grew even larger and is continuing to increase. 

  The Iowa Hawkeyes are 20-2 (wins and losses) on the season this year. Their talented players and success has helped them set the record breaking attendance for women's college basketball with 55,646 fans at Kinnick Stadium against Depaul University. This game brought in $250K, which is something that has never been seen before. Caitlin Clark is the main reason for Iowa’s growing popularity. The outstanding senior guard averaged 32 points per game and became the all time leading scorer in Big 10 history with 3,389 points. She is second in all time scoring for women’s college basketball, following just behind Kelsey Plum who holds it with 3,527 points. Many fans are expecting her to pass Plum before the season is over. Her stat line is incredible and helps keep fans entertained and they wait for her next unbelievable play.

  When talking about women's college basketball, Angel Reese is a commonly talked about name. The “Bayou Barbie” is not only a dominant player on the court but also a major social media influencer. She is sponsored by many name brands because of her basketball talent. Her fame outside of basketball has drawn many to Baton Rouge to watch the Lady Tigers. On December 12, 2023, they had a historic performance with a 133-44 win over McNeese and it was the most points scored in program history. Reese is averaging 20 point double-doubles, helping lead her team to victory. The growing fame of Kim Mulkey is also helping the Lady Tigers gain fans. She is known as a winning coach and the relationship she has with her players is admirable to everyone. She topped off her winning season last year as her team was the 2023 NCAA champions.