{{Short description|American basketball player (born 2000)}} {{Use American English|date=March 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox basketball biography | name = Caitlin Bickle | image = | caption = | number = | team = Free agent | position = Forward | league = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|5|5}} | birth_place = Cave Creek, Arizona, U.S. | high_school = Cactus Shadows<br>(Cave Creek, Arizona) | college = Baylor (2018–2023) | draft_league = WNBA | draft_year = 2023 | career_start = 2023 | career_end = 2024 | years1 = 2023–2024 | team1 = Eleftheria Moschatou | years2 = 2024 | team2 = Connecticut Sun | highlights = * NCAA champion (2019) * Second-team All-Big 12 (2023) * Big 12 All-Defensive team (2023) * Big 12 All-Freshman team (2019) | wnba_profile = 1641698 | bbr_wnba = bicklca01w }}
'''Caitlin Bickle''' (born May 5, 2000)<ref name="basketball reference">{{cite web |title=Caitlin Bickle WNBA Stats |website=Basketball Reference |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/b/bicklca01w.html |access-date=August 2, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085408/https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/b/bicklca01w.html |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref> is an American professional basketball player who is currently a free agent. Bickle played college basketball for the Baylor Bears. She was signed by the Connecticut Sun of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
==Early life== Bickle grew up playing basketball, softball, and soccer, as well as competing in equestrian events. She especially credits horse-riding with helping her to build the strength and balance to help her succeed at basketball.<ref name="Hawthorne">{{cite web |last=Hawthorne |first=Jonathan |title=Success is a matter of horse for basketball prospect Caitlin Bickle |website=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/story/_/id/18173910/from-horseback-riding-basketball-excelling-super-60-prospect-caitlin-bickle |date=November 30, 2016 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/story/_/id/18173910/from-horseback-riding-basketball-excelling-super-60-prospect-caitlin-bickle |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref> She attended and played basketball at Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek, Arizona; rated a five-star prospect and the 29th-best prospect nationally by ESPN, Bickle committed to Baylor<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 |website=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/rankings/_/class/2018 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251118005340/https://www.espn.com/high-school/girls-basketball/recruiting/rankings/scnext100girls |archive-date=November 18, 2025}}</ref> over Cal, Michigan, and Louisville.<ref name="Hawthorne" /> An ACL injury forced her to miss her senior season of basketball.<ref name="Baylor">{{cite web |title=Caitlin Bickle |website=Baylor University athletics |url=https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/caitlin-bickle/11516 |access-date=March 10, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085409/https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/caitlin-bickle/11516 |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref>
==College career== Bickle was named to the Big 12 All-Rookie team in her freshman season, averaging 2.0 points and 1.1 rebounds per game and playing in 28 games as Baylor won the 2019 national championship tournament. She averaged 2.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game in her sophomore season, in which a knee injury forced her to miss about a month of games. In her junior season she averaged 4.6 points, 4.4 rebounds,<ref name="Baylor" /> and 0.9 assists per game;<ref name="SR">{{cite web |title=Caitlin Bickle College Stats |website=Sports Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/caitlin-bickle-1.html |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260107221043/https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/caitlin-bickle-1.html |archive-date=January 7, 2026}}</ref> she contributed six points in a win in the second round of the 2021 national championship tournament against Virginia Tech.<ref name="Baylor" /> She averaged 7.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in her senior season,<ref name="SR" /> scoring 21 points in a win against Oklahoma in the 2022 Big 12 Conference women's basketball tournament.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bears blow by Sooners, face Longhorns for title |website=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-kansas-city-college-basketball-womens-college-basketball-bdcdfd39b69590136fb349ae7431fdb0 |date=March 13, 2022 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402135447/https://apnews.com/article/sports-texas-kansas-city-college-basketball-womens-college-basketball-bdcdfd39b69590136fb349ae7431fdb0 |archive-date=April 2, 2022}}</ref>
Bickle returned to Baylor for a fifth season. She missed the beginning of the season due to injury but went on to start in 30 games. She recorded six double-doubles<ref name="Baylor" /> and averaged 11.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, including 30 points in a game against Oklahoma.<ref name="SR" /> Texas Tech head coach Krista Gerlich, after a loss to Baylor, called Bickle "one of the best players in the conference" while Baylor head coach Nicki Collen called her "ultimate safety on defense and quarterback on offense."<ref>{{cite web |last=Garcia |first=Stephen |title=Women's basketball: Baylor clamps down to continue dominance over Texas Tech |website=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |url=https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2023/01/28/womens-basketball-baylor-clamps-down-to-top-texas-tech/69833342007/ |date=January 28, 2023 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324201114/https://www.lubbockonline.com/story/sports/college/red-raiders/2023/01/28/womens-basketball-baylor-clamps-down-to-top-texas-tech/69833342007/ |archive-date=March 24, 2023}}</ref> Bickle went on to be awarded second-team All-Big 12 and Big 12 All-Defensive team honors.<ref name="KWTX">{{cite web |last=Brown |first=Darby |title=Bickle Inks Training Camp Contract with Connecticut Sun |website=KWTX |url=https://www.kwtx.com/2023/04/12/bickle-inks-training-camp-contract-with-connecticut-sun/ |date=April 11, 2023 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://www.kwtx.com/2023/04/12/bickle-inks-training-camp-contract-with-connecticut-sun/ |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Fox44">{{cite web |last=Kelly |first=Eric |title=Caitlin Bickle earns training camp contract with the Connecticut Sun |website=Fox 44 |url=https://www.fox44news.com/sports/baylor/caitlin-bickle-earns-training-camp-contract-with-the-connecticut-sun/ |date=April 11, 2023 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://www.fox44news.com/sports/baylor/caitlin-bickle-earns-training-camp-contract-with-the-connecticut-sun/ |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref> She was also named to the academic All-Big 12 first team in each of her last four seasons.<ref name="Baylor" />
She declared for the 2023 WNBA draft at the conclusion of her fifth college season.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lively |first=Matt |title=Baylor's Caitlin Bickle declares for WNBA Draft |website=KCEN-TV |url=https://www.kcentv.com/article/sports/baylors-caitlin-bickle-declares-wnba-draft/500-44a38f41-9723-49f2-a5f1-b5ed3ec4e347 |date=March 25, 2023|access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref> She earned a master's degree in sports management from Baylor.<ref>{{cite web |last=Conrad |first=Donna |title=Caitlin Bickle reflects on Baylor career ahead of final post season run |website=KXXV |url=https://www.kxxv.com/sports/baylor-bears/caitlin-bickle-reflects-on-baylor-career-ahead-of-final-post-season-run |date=March 18, 2023 |access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref>
==Professional career== Bickle was not selected in the 2023 WNBA draft, but she signed a training camp contract with the Connecticut Sun on April 11, 2023.<ref name="KWTX" /><ref name="Fox44" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Cherry |first=Brice |title=Baylor's Bickle getting shot in WNBA with Connecticut Sun |website=Waco Tribune-Herald |url=https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylors-bickle-getting-shot-in-wnba-with-connecticut-sun/article_c012a18a-d884-11ed-8f37-6bc6061dbf38.html |date=April 11, 2023 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085412/https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylors-bickle-getting-shot-in-wnba-with-connecticut-sun/article_c012a18a-d884-11ed-8f37-6bc6061dbf38.html |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref> She was waived by the Sun before the start of the regular season.<ref name="WNBA">{{cite web |title=Caitlin Bickle |website=WNBA.com |url=https://www.wnba.com/player/1641698/caitlin-bickle |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://www.wnba.com/player/1641698/caitlin-bickle |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref>
Bickle spent the 2023–2024 season playing for Eleftheria Moschatou of the Greek Women's Basketball League, where she averaged 22.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. She signed a seven-day contract with the Sun on July 20, 2024<ref>{{cite web |last=Cherry |first=Brice |title=WNBA's Connecticut Sun signs Bickle to 7-day contract |website=Waco Tribune-Herald |url=https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylor-caitlin-bickle-wnba-connecticut-sun-greece-eleftheira-moschatou/article_4116866e-46bd-11ef-8a49-93b8ce10bf80.html |date=July 20, 2024 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085409/https://wacotrib.com/sports/college/baylor/baylor-caitlin-bickle-wnba-connecticut-sun-greece-eleftheira-moschatou/article_4116866e-46bd-11ef-8a49-93b8ce10bf80.html |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Emily |title=From European vacations to player development, how the Connecticut Sun are spending WNBA’s Olympic break |website=Hartford Courant |url=https://www.courant.com/2024/07/22/from-european-vacations-to-player-development-how-the-connecticut-sun-are-spending-wnbas-olympic-break/ |date=July 22, 2024 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://www.courant.com/2024/07/22/from-european-vacations-to-player-development-how-the-connecticut-sun-are-spending-wnbas-olympic-break/ |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref> – the first of several such contracts until the Sun signed her to a rest-of-season contract on September 2.<ref name="WNBA" />
She was re-signed to another training camp contract with the Sun on January 22, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last=Linskey |first=Connor |title=Connecticut Sun sign Caitlin Bickle to training camp contract |website=The Bulletin |url=https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/sports/2025/01/22/connecticut-sun-caitlin-bickle-signs-contract-wnba-baylor/77877437007/ |date=January 22, 2025 |access-date=March 11, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260120024329/https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/sports/2025/01/22/connecticut-sun-caitlin-bickle-signs-contract-wnba-baylor/77877437007/ |archive-date=January 20, 2026}}</ref> On May 8, 2025, she was waived by the Sun.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Connecticut Sun Waives Caitlin Bickle and Kamila Borkowska |url=https://sun.wnba.com/news/connecticut-sun-waives-caitlin-bickle-and-kamila-borkowska |date=May 8, 2025 |access-date=May 8, 2025 |website=sun.wnba.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251007085404/https://sun.wnba.com/news/connecticut-sun-waives-caitlin-bickle-and-kamila-borkowska |archive-date=October 7, 2025}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{WNBA player statistics legend}} {| class="wikitable" |style="background:#ffcc00; width:3em;"|* |Denotes season(s) in which Bickle won an NCAA Championship |} ===WNBA=== ====Regular season==== ''Stats current through end of 2024 season'' {{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA regular season statistics<ref name="basketball reference" />}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| {{wnbay|2024}} | style="text-align:left;"| Connecticut | 8 || 0 || 1.9 || .000 || .000 || — || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 |- class="sortbottom" | style='text-align:left;'| '''Career''' | style='text-align:left;'| 1 year, 1 team | 8 || 0 || 1.9 || .000 || .000 || — || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 {{S-end}}
====Playoffs==== {{WNBA player statistics start|caption=WNBA playoffs statistics<ref name="basketball reference" />}} |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2024 | style="text-align:left;"| Connecticut | 3 || 0 || 1.0 || — || — || — || 0.3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 |- class="sortbottom" | style='text-align:left;'| '''Career''' | style='text-align:left;'| 1 year, 1 team | 3 || 0 || 1.0 || — || — || — || 0.3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 {{S-end}}
===College=== {{WNBA player statistics start|caption=NCAA statistics<ref name="SR" />}} |- | style="background:#ffcc00; width:10%; text-align:center;"| 2018–19* |align=center| Baylor |28||0||5.8||.452||'''.429'''||.667||1.1||0.3||0.4||0.1||'''0.5'''||2.0 |- |align=center| 2019–20 |align=center| Baylor |26||0||9.1||'''.558'''||.273||.647||2.1||0.8||0.2||0.2||0.6||2.8 |- |align=center| 2020–21 |align=center| Baylor |29||1||14.4||.485||.346||.794||4.4||0.9||0.5||0.3||0.7||4.6 |- |align=center| 2021–22 |align=center| Baylor |'''35'''||1||23.2||.463||.185||.784||4.3||1.9||0.5||0.3||1.5||7.4 |- |align=center| 2022–23 |align=center| Baylor |30||'''30'''||'''29.6'''||.502||.382||'''.806'''||'''7.1'''||'''2.7'''||'''0.9'''||'''0.5'''||2.6||'''11.9''' |- class="sortbottom" |align=center colspan=2| '''Career''' |148||32||17.0||.488||.306||.776||3.9||1.4||0.5||0.3||1.2||5.9 {{s-end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://baylorbears.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/caitlin-bickle/11516 Baylor Bears bio] * [https://www.wnba.com/player/1641698/caitlin-bickle WNBA bio] {{2019 Baylor Lady Bears basketball navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bickle, Caitlin}} Category:Living people Category:2000 births Category:American women's basketball players Category:Basketball players from Maricopa County, Arizona Category:Forwards (basketball) Category:Connecticut Sun players Category:Baylor Bears women's basketball players Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:People from Cave Creek, Arizona