Clara Strack Named Preseason SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Preseason All-SEC First Team from USA Today, Media

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Clara Strack was named the Preseason Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and to the All-SEC First Team by USA Today, before also hauling in All-SEC First Team honors by a panel of conference and national media, on Monday.

The senior center was the lone player to receive more than one vote for Preseason SEC Defensive Player of the Year, while she was one of just five players in the league to receive Preseason All-SEC First Team nods on both lists.

Kentucky was picked to finish fifth in the loaded league by both USA Today and a panel of conference and national media, too, on Monday.

Strack, 6-5 center from Buffalo, New York, enters her senior season in 2026-27, returning to the college women’s basketball scene as one of just two Lisa Leslie Center of the Year finalists from a year ago. In 36 games last season, she averaged 16.9 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game, 2.53 blocks per game, 1.89 assists per game and 1.22 steals per games, while also sinking 25 3s.

The Wildcat, who led her team in points, rebounds, blocks and steals, also combined for 16 double-doubles, which were 18th in the nation. Meanwhile, her 91 blocks were second in the nation and her 2.52 bpg were seventh in the nation, while both values also broke her own single-season school records. Her 365 rebounds were 13th in the nation.

Last season, she became the first player in NCAA Division I women’s basketball history to record 607 points, 365 rebounds, 91 blocks, 68 assists, 44 steals and 25 3s in one season in 2025-26. She also joined Candance Parker (2005-07) as the only two players to have at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 150 blocks, 125 assists and 50 steals within their first two seasons at an SEC school.

With her career-high-tying 33 points against No. 22/22 Georgia on March 5 – a game that she also drained five 3s on 5-of-7 from the arc – she became the third fastest player to eclipse 1,000 career points in a Kentucky uniform with 1,030 points through 63 games in the Blue and White . She did so only behind WNBA No. 1 Draft Pick Rhyne Howard and WBCA Hall of Famer Valerie Still.

Strack hauled in a long list of honors last season in addition to Center of the Year finalist, including All-America nods from USBWA, Associated Press and USA Today, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year semifinalist, All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team.

This list of preseason honors given out today are as follows:

USA TODAY
First Team
G Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt*
F Madison Booker, Texas*
F Joyce Edwards, South Carolina*
G Mikaylah Williams, LSU
C Clara Strack, Kentucky

*Unanimous selection

Second Team
G Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
G Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
G MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
G Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss
F Chloe Kitts, South Carolina

Preseason Coach of the Year
Dawn Staley, South Carolina

Preseason Player of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Clara Strack, Kentucky

Order of Finish

1. South Carolina
2. Texas
T-3. LSU
T-3. Vanderbilt
5. Kentucky
6. Ole Miss
7. Oklahoma
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi State
10. Florida
11. Texas A&M
12. Alabama
13. Georgia
14. Missouri
15. Auburn
16. Arkansas

SEC Media Poll
First Team
Madison Booker, Texas
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
Joyce Edwards, South Carolina
Clara Strack, Kentucky
Mikaylah Williams, LSU

Second Team
Aaliyah Chavez, Oklahoma
Tessa Johnson, South Carolina
MiLaysia Fulwiley, LSU
Chloe Kitts, South Carolina
Talaysia Cooper, Ole Miss

Preseason Players of the Year
Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt

Order of Finish
1. South Carolina
2. Texas
3. LSU
4. Vanderbilt
5. Kentucky
6. Oklahoma
7. Ole Miss
8. Tennessee
9. Mississippi State
10. Alabama
11. Texas A&M
12. Florida
13. Georgia
14. Missouri
15. Auburn
16. Arkansas

For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.