By: Nora Scarbro

Social media in sports is becoming more of an essential rather than just another thing to help with publicity. A big part of using social media is the players themselves gaining a platform or social recognition. For example, what has been deemed the “Caitlin Clark effect” has arguably changed the entire trajectory of women’s college basketball for good.

Clark was a former player for University of Iowa and is a current player for the WNBA team Indiana Fever. The NCAA says, “Clark’s generational talent brought more eyeballs to broadcasts, fans to arenas and all-around attention to the game.”  

Clark’s talent is undeniable. She is the number one scorer in all of women’s college basketball history. Her talent automatically makes her a topic of conversation online, and a true marvel to basketball and non-basketball fans alike. She became so known online that people who had never turned on women’s sports tuned in just to see the wonder that is Caitlin Clark.

The basketball team for the University Of Connecticut is historically one of the most successful women’s basketball teams in history. Daily Campus reports on their wins “with 12 women’s national titles (compared to the men’s six), 24 appearances in the final four, and the longest win streak in NCAA history (111 consecutive winning games).”

But it is not just UConn’s talent that has drawn thousands of fans into women’s college basketball; it’s their funny and entertaining internet personalities. 

The team uses their playful team dynamic to make TikToks interacting with each other and engaging in team activities. Player KK Arnold interviews her teammates and engages in livestream videos that offer an entertaining look into the off-court lives of the team.

But Arnold’s talent does not stop at her charm. In just her freshman year, she scored 21 points in a single game, she is a 3- time Wisconsin high school player of the year winner, and she is known for her strong defensive abilities. 

Paige Bueckers is known for her bold and confident personality, both online and on the court. This personality has gained her a lot of attention. “All I saw was Paige Bueckers for a while, like it would take up my entire feed. My brother even pointed it out to me once,” Bellbrook High School senior Lizzie Visgar said.

Bueckers was ranked number one in her recruitment class by ESPN, holds the record for the highest scoring average in UConn’s history, and was the first pick for WNBA 2025 draft. 

Social media has drawn so many new fans in and these new additions have expanded women’s sports to new heights. “That athleticism is really leaking into the women’s game, just because these kids at a young age are being exposed,” says Bellbrook High School teacher and former coach Perry Caldwell.