Kentucky lands promising Virginia Tech transfer.
The Kenny Brooks Era at Kentucky is off to a hot start.
The Wildcats added a trio of new commitments on Thursday, including promising Virginia Tech transfer Clara Strack.
The 6-foot-5 freshman center was joined by Virginia Tech All-American point guard Georgia Amoore and Eastern Florida State College forward Amelia Hassett, who had previously been committed to the Hokies.
Strack entered the transfer portal on Tuesday with a “do not designation” tag, indicating she already knew where she was going in following her former coach to Lexington.
As a freshman last season, Strack averaged 4.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game while shooting 56.4% rom the field while appearing in 33 games with two starts.
Following an injury to 3-time ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley, Strack was inserted into the starting lineup in the NCAA Tournament, recording 17 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 assists in a 92-49 win over Marshall in the first round and then 18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks in a 75-72 second round loss to Baylor.
Coming out of Hamburg High School in New York, Strack was rated as a 4-star prospect and ranked as a top 100 prospect in the 2023 class by ESPN.
Since arriving at Kentucky, Brooks has also extended scholarship offers to Clarksville (Tenn.) 5-star guard, McDonald’s All-American and former Clemson signee Imari Berry (5-10), who will now choose between UK, Louisville, and North Carolina; Louisville (Ky.) Sacred Heart 2025 5-star guard ZaKiyah Johnson (6-0); and Winston-Salem (N.C.) Bishop McGuinness 4-star guard Adelaide Jernigan (5-10).
Brooks, who built the Virginia Tech program from the ground up and took the Hokies to its first-ever Final Four last season and won the ACC regular season championship this season, was introduced as the new Kentucky coach on March 28.
“When I got to Virginia Tech, I felt like it was a sleeping giant. As I continued to research everything about Kentucky, I know the academics here are wonderful. I know that the fan base is very passionate.
I know that resources will allow you to get to a level to where you can compete with anyone. I know it is in the rich history of the SEC and the SEC’s leadership and where it’s going, you want to be aligned with that to try to create something very, very special. When I added all of that up, what I came up with is it’s going to be a sleeping giant that needs to be awakened,” Brooks said.