In a year's time, Clara Strack went from being a role player to a foundational centerpiece

In March of 2024, things were a bit different, especially compared to now. That’s certainly the case for Kentucky center Clara Strack.

At that time, she was a role player at Virginia Tech, logging 13.8 minutes to per game. Then again, it’s hard to expect too much when you have to compete with Elizabeth Kitley — the greatest to ever wear the maroon and orange — for playing time.

When Kitley would suffer an ACL tear in the Hokies’ final regular season game last year, Strack had to step up, and she did just that.

In Virginia Tech’s two-game run in the NCAA Tournament, Strack averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, three blocks and two assists while shooting 13-15 (1-1 3PT) from the field. One thing became very clear during that stretch: the once fringe Top 100 recruit had some serious untapped potential to work with.

So, this past offseason, Strack got to work and the results showed on the hardwood. The 6-foot-5 big averaged 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds 2.5 assists and 2.4 blocks per game. On the way to winning SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Strack rejected 73 shots — a single-season program record for a single player.

Just as Kitley was for Kenny Brooks‘ run at Virginia Tech, Clara Strack will now be the piece that the program is built around. That model got Brooks and the Hokies to the 2023 Final Four. Perhaps a similar recipe will allow Kentucky to reach uncharted territory in the coming years.

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