Clara Strack Named Top Five Finalist for Lisa Leslie Center of the Year and Named USA Today All-America Second Team on Wednesday
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Clara Strack is one of five players in the nation to be included on the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Finalist list, it was announced by Lisa Leslie herself on CBS Sports’ We Need To Talk in conjunction with Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
She also was named to the USA Today All-America Second Team today.
Last season, Strack was named to the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year Top 10, while this is the first time she has been named a top five finalist.
The USA Today All-America nod is also her first.
Strack, a 6-5 center, who is leading the team in points, rebounds, blocks and steals, is averaging 17.1 points per game, 10.0 rebounds per game, 2.58 blocks per game, 1.82 assists per game and 1.21 steals per game in 33 starts this season. The junior also has made 23 3-pointers in 2025-26.
She is the only player in the nation to average all of those numbers, while she also is:
- … the only player in the nation to have at least 17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg and 2.0 bpg.
- … the only Power 4 player to have at least 17.0. 10.0 rpg and 1.8 apg.
- … the only Power 4 player to have at least 17.0. 10.0 rpg and 1.2 spg.
- … the only Power 4 player to have at least 17.0. 10.0 rpg and 23 3-pointers.
Her 2.58 bpg game are fifth in the nation, while her 85 total blocks are second in the nation and a single-season school record.
She joined Candace Parker (2005-07) as just the second player to have at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 150 blocks, 125 assists and 50 steals within first two seasons at a Southeastern Conference school. She also is the only active player in Division I to have at least 1,040 points, 630 rebounds, 155 blocks, 135 assists and 65 steals since the start of last season (her first season at UK).
Strack is coming off a noteworthy appearance at the SEC Tournament, averaging 21.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.6 bpg in three games there. She became the first player this century to have 33 points, five 3s and three blocks in a women’s regulation conference tournament game with her performance against No. 22/22 Georgia.
She also became third fastest in program history to eclipse 1,000 points at UK (63 games, 1,030 points) behind WNBA No. 1 Draft Pick Rhyne Howard and WBCA Hall of Famer Valerie Still.
Prior to the SEC Tournament, Strack finished the regular season with 499 points, 305 rebounds, 77 blocks, 58 assists and 38 steals, becoming the only SEC player since at least 2002-03 and just the second Division I player since at least 2002-03 (also TCU’s Sanfora Irvin in 2004-05) to have all of those numbers in one regular season.
She has 10 20+ points performances and two 30+ point performances this season (both of which 30+ point games were against SEC opponents). She also has 14 double-doubles this season, and has 16 10+ rebound games this season.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
