Caitlin Clark winning 2024 Honda Award has coaches Lisa Bluder & Jan Jensen feeling "proud"

Caitlin Clark won her second Honda Cup on Monday, in recognition of the former Iowa Hawkeyes guard's excellent senior season. With this, she joined Tracy Caulkins, Maya Moore and Rachel Garcia as the only two-time winners of the award.

The guard is busy with her rookie WNBA season with the Indiana Fever and was unable to attend the award show at CBS Broadcast Center, New York. On her behalf, Caitlin Clark's former coaches Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen attended and received the award.

Jensen, who was promoted as Iowa's coach following Bluder's retirement, documented the day for fans via her Instagram story. After Caitlin Clark was announced as the winner, Jensen shared a picture with the trophy and wrote:

"Just a couple of proud & thankful coaches with @caitlinclark22 Honda Cup"

Instagram story (Credit: Instagram/janjensen)

Instagram story (Credit: Instagram/janjensen)

In her Instagram story, Jensen also congratulated Clark on winning with a message:

"So proud of you @caitlinclark22 Only 3 other athletes have won multiple Honda Cups! #BestofTheBest"

The Honda Cup honors the best college sports athletes for their on-court achievements and off-court excellence in academics. Caitlin Clark expressed her disappointment (via ESPN) at missing the award show, adding:

"It stinks. Getting to meet people outside your sport is what makes this event so fun. Getting to hear about their lives and what they do."

Caitlin Clark in disbelief at sharing the same achievement as her idol

In many interviews, Caitlin Clark has been open about her admiration for Maya Moore. She admitted that she was still in shock at winning the award again and being in such an elite company.

"It's hard to wrap your head around. To be in the same air as her is pretty incredible. She's someone I grew up idolizing since I was 10 years old and wanted to do everything like her." (via ESPN)

Caitlin Clark first met Maya Moore for just 10 seconds as a 12-year-old when her dad took her for a Lynx game in Minneapolis all the way from their home in Iowa. Recalling the meeting in a May interview, a 22-year-old Clark said: (via Indy Star)

"Ten seconds can go a long way in somebody’s life. That’s a good lesson whether you play sports or don’t play sports, how you treat somebody matters."

"I just try to take as much time as I can for those young girls because Maya was so nice to me when I ran up to her, and that’s something that’s stuck with me all the way until I’m 22 years old."

Former coach Bluder believes this meeting is one of the biggest reasons why Caitlin Clark is so gracious in her fan interactions. Despite the tiredness, she always takes time after games to sign and click photos with young girls and boys.

"She's (Caitlin Clark) definitely making a difference in kids' lives. For her, Maya Moore was a huge role model growing up. So now she's the Maya Moore of this generation. And she understands that," Bluder said.