Clara Strack’s Tuesday Tidings: SEC Player of the Week, Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Late-Season Team
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Clara Strack hauled in Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors and earned an appearance on the 2026 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Late-Season Team on a busy Tuesday.
The junior center is averaging 16.5 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 2.62 blocks per game, 1.96 assists per game and 1.3 steals per game through 27 starts in 2025-26. Her 10.5 rpg are first in the league and 15th in the nation, while her 2.62 bpg are second in the league and third in the nation. She also has 13 double-doubles on the season, which is ranked 15th nationwide.
She is coming off helping Kentucky to back-to-back conference wins over Texas A&M last Thursday and No. 14/16 Ole Miss on Sunday, averaging 22.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 2.5 bpg and 1.5 apg, while shooting 50.0 percent from inside the arc during that stretch.
The Wildcat put up 28 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and an assist to help take down the Rebels, becoming the first Kentucky player to record at least 28 points and nine rebounds against an Associated Press Top 15 team since Rhyne Howard at No. 12 Mississippi State on Jan. 3, 2021.
She produced an 8-0 run on four consecutive buckets in the fourth quarter to turn a six-point lead into a 14-point game with under five minutes to go.
Her scoring performance marked her sixth 20-plus point game of the season, which leads the team. She also went 6-of-6 from the line in that game.
The junior improved to 71 blocks, which is just three away from breaking her own single-season school record that she set as a sophomore with 73 in 2024-25. She is the only player in program history to put together two seasons with at least 70 blocks.
Prior to that game, she helped the Wildcats defeat the Aggies on her 13th double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds. She also had three blocks and two assists in that game.
She has dished out multiple assists in 17-of-27 games this season.
The 6-5 center has also made 17 3-pointers this season, a testament to her versatility.
Strack, a Buffalo, New York, native, has hauled in quite the list of awards and honors this season.
Weekly Awards
SEC Player of the Week (Feb. 17, 2026)
Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Player of the Week (Feb. 16, 2026)
USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (Feb. 3, 2026)
USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week (Nov. 25, 2025)
SEC Player of the Week (Nov. 25, 2025)
Annual Awards
2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Late-Season Watch List
2025-26 Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List
2025-26 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Top 10 Midseason List
2025-26 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List
2025-26 Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch List
2025-26 Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List
2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
2025-26 Preseason All-SEC Second Team by the Media
2025-26 Preseason All-SEC Second Team by the Coaches
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
