Caitlin Clark raised the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both the college ranks and the WNBA, and Tuesday she was named the AP Female Athlete of the Year for her impact on and off the court.

After leading Iowa to the national championship game, Clark was the top pick in the WNBA draft as expected and went on to win rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers tuned in to follow her journey. Clark’s exploits were far reaching, casting a light on other women’s sports leagues along the way.

A group of 74 sports journalists from The Associated Press and its members voted on the award. Clark received 35 votes, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles was second with 25 and boxer Imane Khelif was third, getting four votes.

Clark is only the fourth women’s basketball player to be honored as the female athlete of the year since it was first presented in 1931, joining Sheryl Swoopes (1993), Rebecca Lobo (1995) and Candace Parker (2008, 2021).

“I grew up a fan of Candace Parker and the people who came before me and to be honored in this way, is super special and I’m thankful,” Clark said in a phone interview. “It was a great year for women’s basketball and women’s sports.”

Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete of the Year on Monday for the third time.

Snowboarding

Olympic snowboarder dies in avalanche >> Sophie Hediger, a member of Switzerland’s snowboard cross team at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has died following an avalanche at a mountain resort, the country’s skiing federation said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred on Monday at the Arosa resort in Switzerland.

Hediger, 26, competed at the Beijing Games in the women’s snowboard cross and the mixed team version of the same event.

Hediger achieved her first two World Cup podium finishes in the 2023-24 season. Her best result was a second place in St. Moritz in January.

“We are shocked and our thoughts are with Sophie’s family, to whom we offer our deepest condolences,” said Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser in a statement. “(She lost her life) tragically, brutally and far too soon.”

Women’s college basketball

Watkins named player of the week >> The Associated Press national player of the week in women’s basketball for Week 7 of the season:

JuJu Watkins, USC: The sophomore guard shined in the Trojans’ 72-70 victory over UConn, scoring 25 points with six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. She had 15 points in the first half and then had a key assist down the stretch to give USC the lead for good.

Runner-Up: Aneesah Morrow, LSU. The senior forward averaged 21.5 points, 16 rebounds and 3.5 steals in the Tigers’ two victories over Seton Hall and UIC. The Illinois-Chicago game was a homecoming for Morrow, who leads the nation with 12 double-doubles and 14 rebounds per game.

Honorable Mention: Haley Cavinder, Miami; Sammie Puisis, South Florida; Emma Ronsiek, Colorado State.

Men’s college basketball

Broome honored yet again >> The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s college basketball for Week 7 of the season:

Johni Broome, Auburn: The 6-foot-10, 240-pound fifth-year senior and preseason Associated Press All-American is making a habit of this. This is the second straight week and third time in four weeks that Broome has been the choice, this time based on a dominant showing in a romp against then-No. 16 Purdue in his return from injury.

He finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in the 18-point win, a game in which the Tigers at one point led by 33 points. It came days after he exited two minutes into a win against Georgia State with a shoulder injury, causing a scare for the star of a team with Final Four aspirations. Factoring out that short appearance, Broome is averaging 20.0 points and 12.5 rebounds on the season.

Runner-up: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma. The 6-4 freshman came up huge in a neutral-court win against then-No. 24 Michigan in the Jumpman Invitational last week.

He had the go-ahead 4-point play with 11.5 seconds left in the 87-86 win, capping a night when he had a season-high 30 points and four assists. He followed with Sunday’s 19-point effort in a win against Central Arkansas, keeping the Sooners unbeaten entering Christmas.

Fears is averaging 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists on the season.

Honorable mention: Bruce Thornton, Ohio State; Will Richard, Florida; Jordan Pope, Texas.