Kentucky WBB's Clara Strack is a preseason National Player of the Year candidate

After being named the Southeastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year a season ago, Clara Strack has her eyes set on achieving something even greater.

On Thursday, Strack was named to the 2025-26 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List. The Kentucky women’s basketball star is one of 50 players tabbed to the watch list and one of 15 from the SEC. Strack has been hauling in plenty of preseason honors so far, having already been selected to the Preseason All-SEC Second Team by both the media and coaches.

During her sophomore campaign in 2024-25, Strack averaged 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and an SEC-leading 2.4 blocks in 31.6 minutes per outing. The 6-foot-5 native of Buffalo shot 48.8 percent from the field on her way to being named All-SEC Second Team. Her 73 blocks set a single-season program record. She finished with 15 double-doubles on the season.

Among the nation’s best! 😤@ClaraStrack has been named to the Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List! pic.twitter.com/4hsnV0y0G4

— Kentucky Women’s Basketball (@KentuckyWBB) October 30, 2025

Strack figures to be the centerpiece for Kenny Brooks‘ second season as head coach in Lexington, especially with All-American point guard Georgia Amoore off to the WNBA. Brooks retained a handful of key pieces, such as Teonni Key, Amelia Hassett, Jordan Obi, and others, but also reloaded in the transfer portal. The 2025-26 Wildcats expect to be a deeper unit than a season ago, with Georgia Tech transfer Tonie Morgan (an All-ACC performer last season) taking over for Amoore.

Four different Kentucky players, including Strack, have already received some sort of preseason recognition.

• Clara Strack – Preseason All-SEC Second Team by the Media
• Clara Strack – Preseason All-SEC Second Team by the Coaches
• Clara Strack – Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s College Player of the Year Watch List
• Teonni Key – Preseason All-SEC Second Team by the Coaches
• Jordan Obi – Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List
• Tonie Morgan – Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List

Looking at the preseason rankings, Kentucky will begin the season sitting at 24th in the AP Poll and 20th in the Coaches Poll. The SEC coaches project UK to finish seventh in the conference standings, while the media pegged the ‘Cats at eighth. Kentucky checked in as a 7-seed in ESPN’s latest Bracketology, with the SEC projected to receive 10 total bids.

Kentucky will begin the 2025-26 season on Monday, November 2, against Morehead State. Tipoff inside Memorial Coliseum is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network+.

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