Clara Strack rewriting Kentucky’s women’s basketball record book 2.6 blocks at a time

Kentucky’s efforts may have fallen short against Ole Miss on Monday night, a lopsided rebounding affair leading to a 66-57 loss in Oxford, but center Clara Strack continued her impressive sophomore outing by setting a program record.

Strack — who last week was named a top-10 finalist for the Lisa Leslie Women’s Center of the Year award — recorded eight blocks against the Rebels, besting former Wildcat DeNesha Stallworth’s seven-block performance against Texas A&M on Feb. 18, 2013. Strack is now up to an SEC-leading 57 blocks on the season, which pushes her past Valerie Still for most blocked shots in a single season by a sophomore (53 in 1980-81), and into second place in program history for single-season blocks. Only Victoria Dunlap’s 2009-10 campaign, during which she blocked 66 shots, stands between Strack and the all-time team record.

Against the Rebels, Strack also contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds for her 11th double-double of the season, and added three assists and one steal.

Strack leads this year’s Kentucky roster in blocks per game with 2.6, which puts her at No. 8 among all Division I women’s college basketball players. She is joined in the national top 50 by teammate Teonni Key, who averages 1.9 blocks per contest and has blocked 42 shots on the season — only four blocks behind Still’s total in 1979-80, which ranks No. 10 in program history.

Against Ole Miss, Strack (eight) and Key (four) combined with junior forward Amelia Hassett (two) to block 14 shots, the team’s second-highest total of the season behind their 16-block performance against Northern Kentucky on Nov. 7. The program record for most team blocks in a single contest stands at 19, which the 2006-07 Wildcats recorded against North Carolina A&T on Dec. 6, 2006.

Through 22 games, eight Wildcats have blocked at least one shot this season. Strack (57), Key (42), Hassett (23), freshman center Clara Silva (20), All-America point guard Georgia Amoore (seven), freshman guard Lexi Blue (two), junior guard Cassidy Rowe (two) and graduate guard Dazia Lawrence (one) have collectively blocked 154 shots. The program record for the most team blocks in a single season was set in 2012-13, when the Wildcats blocked 181 shots in 31 games.

Though Kentucky’s blocks-per-game average has decreased since the monumental 7.4 mark it posted through 16 games, the Wildcats do still lead the nation in the statistic — sharing that distinction with Southern California at 7.0. That average also places the Wildcats a full (1.0) block ahead of second-place South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference. The program-best average for blocks per game was set during in 2021-22, when the Wildcats averaged 5.5 blocks across 31 contests.

Earlier this season, UK head coach Kenny Brooks explained the Cats’ shot-blocking prowess.

“We don’t get out and deny the lanes, and, you know, press you a lot. So it doesn’t look like the sexy defense that people love to see, or that they think is defense, where you’re getting steals and whatnot. But what we are, is we protect the paint. And we’re so long, and we get into gaps and we make it hard for people to get in there. And, sometimes, the way people score, it looks like that we’re not really a good defensive team. But then you look up, and we’ve held somebody to 60 points, we’ve held somebody to 55 points, and that’s hard to do with this league because there are a lot of very talented basketball players in this league.”

Blocks in the Kentucky record book

Most blocks in a single game: Clara Strack — 8 vs. Ole Miss (Feb. 10, 2025)

Most blocks in a single season: Victoria Dunlap — 66 in 35 games (2009-10)

Most blocks in a career: Sarah Elliott — 195 in 132 games (2005-08)

Kentucky single-season blocks leaders:

1. Victoria Dunlap — 66 blocks in 35 games (2009-10)

2. Clara Strack — 57 blocks in 22 games (2024-25)

3. Sarah Elliott — 56 blocks in 33 games (2007-08)

3. Samarie Walker — 56 blocks in 36 games (2012-13)

5. Valerie Still — 53 blocks in 31 games (1980-81)

5. Azia Bishop — 53 blocks in 33 games (2014-15)

7. DeNesha Stallworth — 52 blocks in 35 games (2012-13)

8. Sarah Elliott — 50 blocks in 34 games (2006-07)

9. Sarah Elliott — 49 blocks in 34 games (2004-05)

9. Victoria Dunlap — 49 blocks in 33 games (2010-11)

11. Valerie Still — 46 blocks in 29 games (1979-80)

Most blocks in a season by a freshman: Sarah Elliott — 49 (2005)

Most blocks in a season by a sophomore: Clara Strack — 57 (2025)

Most blocks in a season by a junior: Victoria Dunlap — 66 (2010)

Most blocks in a season by a senior: Sarah Elliott — 56 (2008)

Most team blocks in a single game: 19 vs. North Carolina A&T (Dec. 6, 2006)

Most team blocks in a single season: 181 in 31 games (2012-13)

Next game

No. 3 Texas at No. 8 Kentucky

What: Play4Kay Game

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WLAP-AM 630

Records: Kentucky 19-3 (8-2 SEC), Texas 24-2 (10-1 SEC)

Series: Texas leads 2-0

Last meeting: Texas won 72-60 on Nov. 24, 2007, in Honolulu in the second round of the Wahine Classic

Caroline Makauskas

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-379-9489

Caroline Makauskas is a sports reporter for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She covers Kentucky women’s basketball and other sports around Central Kentucky. Born and raised in Illinois, Caroline graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in Journalism and Radio/Television/Film in May 2020. Support my work with a digital subscription