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List of NCAA Division I women's basketball season scoring leaders

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Caitlin Clark, the most recent player to lead NCAA Division I women's basketball in scoring, achieved the feat three times in her career.

In basketball, points are the sum of the score accumulated through free throw or field goal.[1] While the NCAA's current three-division format has been in place since the 1973–74 season, the organization did not sponsor women's sports until the 1981–82 school year; before that time, women's college sports were governed by the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). The NCAA has officially recorded scoring statistics since it first sponsored women's basketball. Official scoring leaders are based solely on per-game average, not total points. While the NCAA maintains a ranked list of players by total points within each season on its official website, it does not include seasonal leaders in total points in its printed record books.

Unlike for men's basketball, the NCAA does not keep records of the top scorers (by total points) for a single season. Records of the top scorer (by average points per game) for each season and scorers with more than 900 points in a season are however available.

Patricia Hoskins holds the single-season scoring record on a per-game basis with a mark of 33.6 points per game (ppg) set in 1988–89, during her senior season at Mississippi Valley State.

The majority of per-game scoring leaders are seniors. In 1983–84, Delta State's Deborah Temple became the first junior to lead NCAA Division I in scoring. The 1995–96 season saw Maine's Cindy Blodgett become the first sophomore and first underclassmen to lead in scoring. Kelsey Mitchell (2014–15) and Caitlin Clark (2020–21) are the only freshmen to lead Division I in scoring.

Clark (2020–21, 2021–22, and 2023–24) is the only player to lead Division I women's basketball in scoring three times. Six other players have led Division I women's basketball in scoring twice. Andrea Congreaves (1991–92 and 1992–93) was the first to accomplish this feat, followed by Blodgett (1995–96 and 1996–97), Jackie Stiles (1999–2000 and 2000–01), Alysha Clark (2008–09 and 2009–10), Jerica Coley (2012–13 and 2013–14), and Megan Gustafson (2017–18 and 2018–19).

In regards to total points, Caitlin Clark currently holds the single-season scoring record for NCAA Division I of 1,234 points, set during her final season at Iowa in 2023–24.[2] She is also the only NCAA Division I women's basketball player who scored more than 1,000 points in more than one season (2022–23 and 2023–24).[3]

In the tables below, all schools are listed with their current athletic brand names, which do not always match those used by a team in the relevant season.

Key

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Season scoring leaders (points per game)

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Season Player Pos. Cl. Team GP FGM 3PM FTM Total
points 		PPG Ref.
1981–82 Barbara Kennedy Sr Clemson 31 392 – 124 908 29.3 [4]
1982–83 LaTaunya Pollard Sr Long Beach State 31 376 – 155 907 29.3 [4]
1983–84 Deborah Temple Jr Delta State 28 373 – 127 873 31.2 [4]
1984–85 Anucha Browne Sr Northwestern 28 341 – 173 855 30.5 [4]
1985–86 Wanda Ford Sr Drake 30 390 – 139 919 30.6 [4]
1986–87 Tresa Spaulding Sr BYU 28 347 – 116 810 28.9 [4]
1987–88 LeChandra LeDay Sr Grambling 28 334 36 146 850 30.4 [4]
1988–89 Patricia Hoskins Sr Mississippi Valley State 27 345 13 205 908 33.6 [4]
1989–90 Kim Perrot Sr Louisiana[a] 28 309 95 128 841 30.0 [4]
1990–91 Jan Jensen Sr Drake 30 358 6 166 888 29.6 [4]
1991–92 Andrea Congreaves Jr Mercer 28 353 77 142 925 33.0 [4]
1992–93 Andrea Congreaves (2) Sr Mercer 26 302 51 150 805 31.0 [4]
1993–94 Kristy Ryan Sr Sacramento State 26 240 2 245 727 28.0 [4]
1994–95 Koko Lahanas Sr Cal State Fullerton 29 329 0 120 778 26.8 [5]
1995–96 Cindy Blodgett So Maine 32 313 50 213 889 27.8 [5]
1996–97 Cindy Blodgett (2) Jr Maine 30 285 69 171 810 27.0 [5]
1997–98 Allison Feaster Sr Harvard 28 272 58 195 797 28.5 [4]
1998–99 Tamika Whitmore Sr Memphis 32 325 30 163 843 26.3 [5]
1999–2000 Jackie Stiles† G Jr Missouri State[b] 32 297 58 238 890 27.8 [6]
2000–01 Jackie Stiles† (2) G Sr Missouri State[b] 35 365 65 267 1,062 30.3 [5]
2001–02 Kelly Mazzante G So Penn State 35 313 102 144 872 24.9 [5]
2002–03 Chandi Jones Jr Houston 28 275 52 168 770 27.5 [5]
2003–04 Emily Faurholt F So Idaho 29 261 43 172 737 25.4 [5]
2004–05 Tan White Sr Mississippi State 29 241 61 138 681 23.5 [5]
2005–06 Seimone Augustus F/G Sr LSU 35 334 18 109 795 22.7 [5]
2006–07 Carrie Moore G Sr Western Michigan 32 272 52 217 813 25.4 [5]
2007–08 Amber Holt G/F Sr Middle Tennessee 34 352 20 206 930 27.4 [5]
2008–09 Alysha Clark F Jr Middle Tennessee 34 343 12 237 935 27.5 [5]
2009–10 Alysha Clark (2) F Sr Middle Tennessee 29 306 17 192 821 28.3 [5]
2010–11 Kevi Luper So Oral Roberts 34 283 63 177 806 23.7 [c]
2011–12 Elena Delle Donne C Jr Delaware 33 325 52 225 927 28.1 [5]
2012–13 Jerica Coley Jr FIU 32 299 34 208 840 26.3 [5]
2013–14 Jerica Coley (2) Sr FIU 33 345 51 231 972 29.5 [5]
2014–15 Kelsey Mitchell G Fr Ohio State 35 282 127 182 873 24.9 [5]
2015–16 Jasmine Nwajei Jr Wagner 29 298 66 179 841 29.0 [5]
2016–17 Kelsey Plum G Sr Washington 35 379 115 236 1,109 31.7 [5]
2017–18 Megan Gustafson F/C Jr Iowa 32 320 0 183 823 25.7 [8][9]
2018–19 Megan Gustafson (2) F/C Sr Iowa 36 412 1 176 1,001 27.8 [8][9]
2019–20 Stella Johnson G Sr Rider 30 261 51 172 745 24.8 [8][10]
2020–21 Caitlin Clark G Fr Iowa 30 266 116 151 799 26.6 [8][11]
2021–22 Caitlin Clark (2) G So Iowa 32 286 91 200 863 27.0 [8][11]
2022–23 Maddy Siegrist F Sr Villanova 37 403 52 223 1,081 29.2 [8][12]
2023–24 Caitlin Clark (3) G Sr Iowa 39 403 201 227 1,234 31.6 [8][11]

Most points in a season (>900 points)

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Season Player Pos. Cl. Team Games
played 		Field goals
made 		3-point
field goals
made 		Free throws
made 		Total
points 		PPG Ref.
2023–24 Caitlin Clark G Sr Iowa 39 403 201 227 1,234 31.6  [11]
2016–17 Kelsey Plum (2) G Sr Washington 35 379 115 236 1,109 31.7
2022–23 Maddy Siegrist F Sr Villanova 37 403 52 223 1,081 29.2  [13]
2000–01 Jackie Stiles† G Sr Missouri State[b] 35 365 65 267 1,062 30.3
2022–23 Caitlin Clark (2) G Jr Iowa 38 338 140 239 1,055 27.8  [11]
2013–14 Odyssey Sims G Sr Baylor 37 362 98 232 1,054 28.5
2018–19 Megan Gustafson F Sr Iowa 36 412 1 176 1,001 27.8
1986–87 Cindy Brown F/C Sr Long Beach State 35 362
—
 250 974 27.8
2013–14 Jerica Coley G Sr FIU 33 345 51 231 972 29.5
1990–91 Genia Miller C Sr Cal State Fullerton 33 376 0 217 969 29.4
2013–14 Chiney Ogwumike F Sr Stanford 37 402 4 159 967 26.1
2015–16 Kelsey Plum G Jr Washington 37 308 78 266 960 25.9
1992–93 Sheryl Swoopes G/F Sr Texas Tech 34 356 32 211 955 28.1
2008–09 Alysha Clark F Jr Middle Tennessee 34 343 12 237 935 27.5
2007–08 Amber Holt G/F Sr Middle Tennessee 34 352 20 206 930 27.4
2011–12 Brittney Griner C Jr Baylor 40 358 1 212 929 23.2
2011–12 Elena Delle Donne F Jr Delaware 33 325 52 225 927 28.1
1991–92 Andrea Congreaves F/C Jr Mercer 28 353 77 142 925 33.0
2023–24 JuJu Watkins^ G Fr USC 34 306 67 241 920 27.2  [14]
1985–86 Wanda Ford F Sr Drake 30 390
—
 139 919 30.6
1997–98 Chamique Holdsclaw† F Jr Tennessee 39 370 9 166 915 23.5
2015–16 Rachel Banham G Sr Minnesota 32 315 119 165 914 28.6
2009–10 Andrea Riley G Sr Oklahoma State 34 296 78 239 909 26.7
1981–82 Barbara Kennedy ... Sr Clemson 31 392
—
 124 908 29.3
1988–89 Patricia Hoskins F Sr Mississippi Valley State 27 345 13 205 908 33.6
  1. ^ Known as Southwestern Louisiana before 1999, and later as Louisiana–Lafayette before dropping its geographic identifier from its athletic branding in the 2010s.
  2. ^ a b c Known before the 2005–06 season as Southwest Missouri State.
  3. ^ ESPN incorrectly lists Maya Moore as the 2010–11 season's scoring leader, with 23.1 points per game (ppg).[7] However, NCAA records and Sports-Reference both list Kevi Luper as Division I's scoring leader with 23.7 ppg.[5][8]

Notes

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References

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General
  • "Annual Individual Champion: Scoring Average" (PDF). 2021–22 Division I Women’s Basketball Records. NCAA. p. 23. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
Specific
  1. ^ "Basketball glossary". FIBA.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  2. ^ Bohnenkamp, John (March 25, 2024). "Clark scores 32 as top seed Iowa survives to top West Virginia, 64-54". Associated Press. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. ^ Voepel, Michael (March 9, 2024). "Iowa's Caitlin Clark sets Big Ten Tournament's all-time scoring mark". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 9, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Division I Leaders" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 12. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Division I Women's Basketball Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 21. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  6. ^ "Statistical Leaders" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 126. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  7. ^ "2011 Women's College Basketball Individual Statistics - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2020-04-01.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h "Points Per Game Women's Yearly Leaders and Records (Since 1987–88)". Sports-Reference. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Megan Gustafson College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Stella Johnson College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Caitlin Clark". Sports Reference CBB. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  12. ^ "Maddy Siegrist College Stats". Sports-Reference. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  13. ^ "Maddy Siegrist: Stats". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "JuJu Watkins". Sports Reference CBB. Sports Reference LLC. April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
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