Before the 2024-25 season, Clara Strack had little in terms of recognition and respect. Her ability and potential were unknown, even to her own coaches.
One year later, Strack has garnered national recognition and the utmost respect of peers, opponents and neutral observers alike.
So, what changed? How did an unknown freshman role player with just two starts under her belt blossom into a record-breaking, award-winning phenom with seemingly limitless potential?
Clara Strack’s journey from mystery to record breaker
After one season as a full-time starter, Strack has already compiled a laundry list of records and accolades.
Some of the highlights include the 2024-25 SEC Defensive Player of the Year, All-SEC Second Team, Lisa Leslie Center of the Year finalist, school record holder in blocks, and blocks per game, the list goes on and on.
“She was unknown to me. I didn’t really know what she was capable of doing,”
Kentucky Head Coach Kenny Brooks said. “But all she did was come out and average about 16 (points) and 10 (rebounds), and she was the (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.”
What Strack did in her sophomore season when given a consistent role was a pleasant surprise for mostly everyone, including Brooks. Although, given her skillset and the manner in which she conducts herself, it really should not have been a surprise at all.
It all began in Strack’s hometown of Buffalo, New York, where her record breaking started. She graduated high school with an impressive resume.
She was appointed as the New York State Sportswriters Association Player of the Year after a dominant senior season, in which she averaged 24.4 points per game, 16.2 rebounds per game and 3.2 BPG. This incredible season
also helped Strack set the alltime career scoring record at Hamburg High School, a record that had been standing for 22 years.
For the Wildcats’ first game on the road this season,
of Strack.
Strack spent her freshman year at Virginia Tech under Brooks. She spent most of the season in a rotational role as the backup to All-American center Elizabeth Kitley. She
“ She was unknown to me. I didn’t really know what she was capable of doing.
-KENNY BROOKS, HEAD COACH
the team will travel back to where it all began for Strack, in an early-season matchup with University at Buffalo on Sunday, Nov. 9.
“I’m super excited, it’s been a long time since I’ve played back in Buffalo. I think that being able to play in front of my family, my friends, all my people that supported me growing up, I think that’ll be super special,” Strack said.
“Coach Brooks worked on that one pretty hard, but it’s super cool that we were able to get that to happen.”
Despite standing at 6-foot4, Strack played as a guard for her high school team on occasion. The ball-handling and playmaking skills this developed are evident and help showcase the versatility
finished the season averaging 4.5 PPG and 4.1 RPG in just 13.8 minutes per game.
When Kitley suffered a season-ending injury late in the season, Strack saw an increase in playing time for five games, in which she showed her potential. She averaged 25.4 minutes during this stretch, producing 9.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.2 BPG while shooting 57.5% from the field.
After the season concluded, Brooks accepted the head coaching job at Kentucky. Strack entered the transfer portal and followed Brooks, committing to Kentucky 10 days after he was hired.
“I came here with Coach Brooks, I have my full
trust in my journey through college basketball with Coach Brooks,” Strack said.
Brooks has a strong track record of development, and Strack has seen that firsthand through Kitley and the success she had under Brooks’ guidance.
After Strack’s first season as a full-time starter, that trust and commitment have proven to be well-founded.
Her sophomore season was full of highlights, records and milestones. Her eight blocks against Ole Miss set the Kentucky single-game record.
Strack shot 11-11 against Tennessee, setting the school record for most shot attempts without a miss. She became the first Division I player since 2009-10 to finish the season totaling at least 429 points, 266 assists, 70 blocks and 20 steals in a regular season. This huge developmental step can’t be attributed to Brooks or Strack alone; both are equally responsible. It’s a highly collaborative effort between the two, founded on a shared belief of what Strack can become.
“The beauty is I think she’s challenging me, and I always tell them if they want to be great, you have to meet me halfway,” Brooks said. “She’s done everything I’ve asked her to in a short amount of time.”
This rapid progression is
Kentucky center Clara Strack dribbles the ball up the court during the women’s basketball game against Morehead State on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at the Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 75-59. PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | STAFF
Kentucky center Clara Strack stands for “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the women’s basketball game against Morehead State on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at the Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 75-59.
PHOTO BY SYDNEY NOVACK | STAFF
also a result of the work Strack puts in on a consistent basis, a quality that is commended by coaches and teammates alike.
“Her work ethic is amazing, she’s always in the gym, she’s always focusing on the little things as well and just really locking in on the little things she’s supposed to do,” Kentucky forward Teonni Key said.
Strack has seen great development off the court alongside her growth on the court. She has stepped into a leadership role and set an example for her teammates.
“Her attitude is infectious and she’s becoming one of our leaders on the team,” Brooks said. “That’s something I would have never considered maybe a year ago, and that’s just how far she’s grown as a person and a player.”
Another thing that allows Strack to help her teammates is her familiarity with Brooks, his system and what he expects of them.
“I think she has become a great leader for us this year. Obviously last year her and Georgia (Amoore) were really the only ones who had played under Coach Brooks,” Kentucky wing Jordan Obi said. “Using her experience and what she knows about Coach Brooks, about his system, about Kentucky and helping everyone else. She’s
really stepped up as a leader.”
In two years, Strack has seen extraordinary growth and development. However, it seems as if she’s just getting started. Her and Brooks still see opportunities to expand her game, and her role, even further.
One of the main things the pair identified was her perimeter offense, both playmaking and shooting. Although she is a dominant interior force, she has the skillset to break free from the shackles of what is typically expected by someone with her size.
“She’s kind of like a newage center, in the way the game is evolving. Where they can do more than just go down to the block,” Brooks said. “We’re doing things unorthodox where instead of her always setting the ball screen and rolling, she’s getting the ball screen set for her and she’s coming off of it because she’s such a dynamic passer.”
In hindsight, it is hard to see how Strack blossoming into an exciting young star was a surprise.
The 19-year-old has shown great promise and seems to just be scratching the surface of her capabilities. With two years of eligibility remaining, it’s certainly possible that Strack has much more in store as far as surprises go.
Teonni Key finds new voice on court
Brett Ramsey sports@kykernel.com
Being a leader takes more than a title or role that implies leadership.
The qualities of a true leader cannot be faked. It takes a combination of confidence, knowledge and experience to be respected and lead effectively. It takes highs to learn humility, lows to develop confidence and time to gain valuable experience and knowledge.
Throughout the first four years of Teonni Key’s college career, these were all encountered in abundance. The result is a heightened sense of self-confidence and a voice that commands the respect of others.
In the first year of the Kenny Brooks era, Key was sometimes overshadowed by the Wildcats’ one-two punch of Georgia Amoore and Clara Strack. That will not be the case this year.
Key was the first player to commit to Brooks upon his arrival at Kentucky, but the seeds of their relationship were planted long before she set foot in Lexington.
“I’ve known Teonni since she was 11 years old. We recruited her sister, Tamari. (I) got to know her at a very early age,” Brooks said.
Despite the familiarity, neither Teonni nor Tamari committed to Brooks initially. Teonni spent the first three years of her college career at the
Kentucky Wildcats forward Teonni Key directs her teammates during the women’s basketball game against Morehead State on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 75-59.
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | STAFF
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as a member of the Tarheels.
Before her freshman season, Teonni suffered an ACL tear that forced her to redshirt. Across the next two seasons, Teonni played just 9.9 minutes per game. In those limited minutes, she averaged 2.6 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game.
Teonni lacked a substantial role at North Carolina and didn’t receive many opportunities to showcase her capabilities. She entered the transfer portal nine days after the conclusion of her redshirt sophomore season, before committing to Brooks and Kentucky two weeks later.
In her time at UNC, Teonni eclipsed double-digit scoring in just three games. Last season, she found herself with 10 or more points in 22 of Kentucky’s 28 games.
“(Teonni) didn’t do a whole lot in her stint at the University of North Carolina,” Brooks said. “But she came in with a lot of confidence and played extremely well for us last year.”
“
Teonni’s first year at Kentucky was a success by multiple definitions, both on and off the court. This success helped uncover the self-confidence that Brooks was intent on instilling in her.
Teonni averaged 11.4 PPG and 8.3 RPG. She also averaged 1.7 blocks per game helping the Wildcats finish as the best shotblocking team in the nation.
When given the opportunity to flourish under a staff with belief in her ability, Teonni shattered her career highs in every stat category, resetting career highs multiple times as the season progressed and saw a massive leap in per-game averages.
Teonni recorded the first double-double of her career in the third game of the season, finishing with 11 points and 13 rebounds in the Wildcats’ 7642 victory over Wofford. This was the first of 12 recorded by Teonni last season.
“She’s our leader. She’s our enforcer. She’s the one the girls look to, and she really has that demeanor that makes people willing to follow her,” Brooks said.
This was not the case a year ago, on multiple occasions, Brooks mentioned Teonni’s selfconfidence as one of the first things they worked on when she arrived in Lexington.
She’s had a tremendous transformation since she’s come to the University of Kentucky.
The advancement in Teonni’s confidence allowed that on-court success to translate to other avenues of her life.
“Very proud of Teonni, (she) made the dean’s list last year … she’s had a tremendous transformation since she’s come to the University of Kentucky,” Brooks said. “I’m just glad and proud of the way she has prospered.”
One of Teonni’s biggest developments came off the court. She has blossomed into a true leader and developed a commanding personality.
“When she got to us in week one, I was blown away by her athletic ability, her skill set and what she was able to do,” Brooks said. “From that point on, we just started working on her confidence, and we watched her blossom throughout the year.”
Teonni stepping into a leadership role came naturally, she has developed a personality and voice that makes her the perfect fit.
“She walks into a room, and she commands the room. We’re down on the floor, Teonni opens her mouth, everyone listens,” Brooks said. “It’s a major step
from where we were this time last year.”
Teonni understands her increase in responsibility along with what it will take from her and is prepared to take it head-on.
“Setting that example, leading by example, leading more vocally, helping keep the foundation,” Teonni said. “Just building off what we had (last season) and just bringing everyone along.”
Teonni also established the foundation for who she is as a player last season. Brooks is determined to challenge that and expand her ability even further. Teonni’s versatility only showed in flashes last year, but the potential was undeniable.
“We’ve kind of let her go a little bit this year, where she can kind of explore some more, broaden her game a little bit,” Brooks said. “She’s done nothing but just accept that role and blossomed in it.”
This expansion will come in the form of Teonni breaking free from what is normally expected of a big with a powerful post presence.
She will be given opportunities to handle the ball and initiate the offense more, permission to bring the ball up the court following a rebound rather than just throwing an outlet.
Teonni has done more than enough to prove her capability as a traditional inside big, on both ends of the court. The athleticism Teonni possesses with a 6-foot-5 frame makes her unique as is, which is only
furthered when factoring in her ability to make plays and create for teammates.
As Teonni’s responsibility and role has changed, so has Brooks’ philosophy toward the coaching and development of Teonni.
What Brooks referred to as “a carte blanche” approach that will allow her to push her capabilities without challenging the confidence that is so important to her and the team.
“Just go, just play. You make a mistake, it’s on me. You make another mistake, it’s on the other coach,” Brooks said. “We want her to play with confidence because when she does, so many wonderful things can happen.”
The belief that Teonni’s confidence is of utmost importance expands beyond just her and the coaching staff, her teammates share the same sentiment.
“As she continues to grow confidence with herself, and know that we all have her back, like I have 100% confidence in Teonni,” Kentucky center Clara Strack said. “Once she fully gathers that, I think that she’ll just be a terrible matchup to have to guard.”
With Teonni’s development both on and off the court, a fresh role as a leader of the team and a new approach that allows her to continue that growth, there is good reason to be excited about what Teonni will provide for Kentucky in the 2024-25 season.
“She’s going to have a year that’s really going to be one that’s going to be impacted not just by her play, but by her leadership.” Brooks said.
-KENNY BROOKS, HEAD COACH
KAELYN CARROLL
Hometown: Dedham, Mass.
Height: 6-3
Position: Forward
Class: Freshman
Carroll is ranked as the 15th best player in the nation, according to espnW. Carroll was named the 2025 McDonald’s All-American for the class of 2025. She was also named to the All-Independent School League First Team after averaging 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game during the 2023-24 season.
ELSA VADFORS
Hometown: Hudiksvall, Sweden
Height: 6-5
Position: Center
Class: Freshman
Transfers
ASIA BOONE
Hometown: San Diego
Height: 5-8
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
Former school: Liberty
In her second year at Liberty, the guard landed herself in the Flames’ top-10 career list in 3s with 125. Boone started in 67 games, combining for 683 points, 208 rebounds, 117 assists and 69 steals.
During the 2024-25 season she helped lead the Flames to a 26-7 record, finishing 16-2 in conference play and 13-1 at home. The transfer has an eye for the net, averaging about 11.3 points-per-game, and will be crucial in offensive play.
TONIE MORGAN
Hometown: Tallahassee, Fla.
Height: 5-9
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Former school: Georgia Tech
JOSIE GILVIN
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Height: 6-0
Position: Guard
Class: Senior
Former school: Western Kentucky
Returners
JORDAN OBI
Hometown: Hartford, Conn.
Height: 6-1
Position: Guard
Class: Graduate student
Starting her collegiate career at Pennsylvania from 2021-24, Obi will take the court in Kentucky blue after missing the 2024-25 season due to injury. Prior to transferring to the Wildcats for her fifth year of eligibility, Obi averaged 13.7 PPG, 7.6 rebounds-per-game, 1.9 APG, 1.0 blocks per game and 0.9 steals per game during her total time at Pennsylvania.
The guard was the 25th player in program history to eclipse 1,000 career points, and was the seventh fastest to hit the mark in only 74 games.
GABBY BROOKS
Hometown: Harrisonburg, Va.
Height: 5-10
Position: Guard
Class: Junior
LEXI BLUE
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
Height: 6-2
Position: Guard
Class: Sophomore
TEONNI KEY
Hometown: Cary, N.C.
Height: 6-5
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
DOMINIKA PAUROVÁ
Hometown: Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Height: 6-1
Position: Guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
CLARA STRACK
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
Height: 6-5
Position: Center
Class: Junior
AMELIA
HASSETT
Hometown: Albury, Australia
Height: 6-4
Position: Forward
Class: Senior
Written by Jenna Lifshen, Sydney Cox & Cat Beck
Illustrations by Ashleigh Jones
ANALYSIS: Data shows Amelia Hassett has immense impact on Kentucky’s success
Brett Ramsey sports@kykernel.com
Amelia Hassett is entering her second season with Kenny Brooks and the Wildcats. The 6-foot-4 forward from Albury, Australia, fills the role of a traditional 3&D wing.
Last season, Hassett was tasked with guarding the best player on the court on defense and spotting up from three. She was incredibly effective in this role as the combination of her size and agility allowed her to effectively guard any player on the court.
Hassett took 72.7% of her shot attempts from 3-point range, putting her in the 98th percentile of all qualified Division I players. Her role in the offense was no secret to anyone.
When Hassett’s shots were falling, there was little opposing teams could do to slow her down. However, when she struggled, the Wildcats’ offense would typically struggle alongside her.
When looking into Hassett’s shooting splits from last season, inconsistencies are apparent and widespread. Homeaway splits, win-loss splits, some good months followed by some bad months and even the location of the shot all show an evident disparity.
While there wasn’t a huge swing in production from Hassett between home and away games, there is a disparity across all shooting percentages.
It’s worth noting the Wildcats played 18 games at Historic Memorial Coliseum and just 10 on the road. Also, Hassett, on average, attempted more shots at home. So, it’s possible that sample size plays a big role in this.
It is still notable that Hassett shot better at all levels when playing on the road than at home.
Hassett shot lights out in December 2024 and January 2025. In 13 games, Hassett posted a 49.1/40.4/84.2 slashline and 66.7% on twopoint shots. She averaged 12.3 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game and 2.4 assists per game. Kentucky went 11-2 in this stretch.
February and March were a much different story, as Hassett struggled mightily to close out the season. In 11 games, Hassett shot 50% from inside the arc
and 21.2% from the three for a 30.4% field goal percentage. She averaged just 4.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 1.6 APG as Kentucky went 5-6 amidst her struggles.
The difference in Hassett’s production and efficiency in wins and losses was stark. In the Wildcats’ 23 wins, Hassett averaged 10 PPG along with 8 RPG and 2.2 APG. In the eight losses suffered by Kentucky, Hassett averaged just 4.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 1.1 APG.
Hassett also shot better all-around in wins than she did in losses. Her 43.2/35.6/82.8 slash line in wins was far superior to her 29.2/21.2/75 line in losses.
It would be disingenuous to point at this and claim Hassett was primarily responsible for the outcome of games. It does, however, show just how valuable it was for Hassett to shoot efficiently. Also, a good performance from Hassett was usually indicative of a good game from the team.
The link between Hassett’s shooting efficiency and the success of the team is almost undeniable. She will always provide valuable minutes because of her defensive prowess. However, it would be huge for Hassett to steady her shooting in order to become a consistent and reliable option on the offensive end.
COLUMN: Clara Strack will shine outside of Georgia Amoore’s shadow
Brett Ramsey sports@kykernel.com
Clara Strack spent her first season at Kentucky as the perfect sidekick to Georgia Amoore. The pairing had complementary strengths that made them incredibly effective.
Amoore had the most successful season of her collegiate career last season. She recorded career highs in points per game (19.6), assists per game (6.9) and field goal percentage (42.3%) as the driving force of the Wildcats’ offense.
Although Amoore is irrefutably a great player, she greatly benefited from sharing the court with Strack. The magnitude of Strack’s importance to Amoore and the team’s offensive success isn’t instantly recognizable, but when given a closer look is undeniable.
Amoore’s elite passing afforded great effectiveness in screen actions, particularly pick and rolls along with pick and pops, with a scoring ability that rendered her a threat at all three levels.
Strack’s playmaking and three-level scoring capabilities, paired with her off-ball movement, allowed her to excel as the screener and serve as the perfect companion for Amoore.
Strack is an elite interior scorer, she shot 71.2% at the rim and 61.3% in the paint, both fall within the 90th percentile of all Division I players.
Strack’s dominant inside presence worked wonders in clearing up space for Amoore. Her interior scoring forced defenders to respect
forced multiple defenders to make several decisions and play near perfect defense to have any hope of preventing an easy bucket.
The magnitude of Strack’s importance to Amoore and the team’s offensive success isn’t instantly recognizable, but when given a closer look is undeniable.
her movement off screens, preventing them from helping up too far and overextending their coverage to impede Amoore.
The attention required for Strack down low gave Amoore easy paths to the basket.
This allowed Amoore to thrive as one of the most lethal mid-range pull up threats in the nation. Amoore averaged 4.7 mid-range shot attempts per game, this mark falls within the 99th percentile of all Division I players and accounted for half of Amoore’s attempts inside the arc.
Strack also thrived on midrange spot ups, where she took 30.3% of her total shot attempts with a make percentage 39.8%.
Strack’s midrange game allowed her to punish defenders that tried to cheat towards the rim or play help defense.
These factors allowed the two-man game of Strack and Amoore to be dangerous. It
This resulted in Strack being the beneficiary on 79 of Amoore’s school record-setting 213 assists. This connection accounted for 15.3% of the Wildcats’ total assists last season and 37.1% of Amoore’s
total. For reference, the second most common connection was Amoore assisting Dazia Lawrence, which occurred just 40 times.
The difference in offensive averages when both shared the floor compared to when Amoore was on the court without Strack sheds some light on the impact of Strack, the included percentile among all D-I teams will be added to show just how stark the differences were.
The pair shared the court for 927 minutes, in that time Kentucky had a FG% of 45.8% (91st), a 2-point field goal percentage (2PTFG%) of 45.8% (91st) and averaged 17.5 assists per 40 minutes (95th).
In the 209 minutes Amoore played without Strack, the teams FG% dropped to 40.2% (47th), the 2PTFG% dropped to 47.5%
(68th) and averaged just 13 assists per 40 minutes (55th).
In the 2025-26 season, Strack will become the Wildcats’ primary option on the offensive end. She will be tasked with more ballhandling responsibility and should see an increase in shot attempts.
Last season, Strack averaged 15.4 PPG, 9.7 rebounds per game and 2.5 APG. She was also exceptional on the defensive end, her 2.35 blocks per game led the conference and was tied for 11th in the nation.
With another offseason of development under her belt, an expanded role on the offensive end and a gameplan that revolves around her skillset. It is exciting to imagine what could become of Strack in her junior season.
Kentucky Wildcats guard Georgia Amoore (3) shoots a 3-point shot during the women’s basketball game against Mississippi State on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 91-69. PHOTO BY SYDNEY YONKER | STAFF
Tonie Morgan strays from path paved by former star point guard
Brett Ramsey sports@kykernel.com
After the first season of the Kenny Brooks era, the Wildcats had an obvious hole in the roster.
Dazia Lawrence and Georgia Amoore started at the one-and-two in every game for Kentucky last season.
With both graduating, there were many important minutes to fill.
Brooks hit the portal and reeled in Georgia Tech transfer Tonie Morgan, a two-time AllACC Second Team guard with 95 career starts.
Morgan is a stat-sheet filling point guard who possesses the ability to affect the game on both ends of the floor.
Morgan, who is a speedy guard, is adept at involving her teammates and leading the offense. On the other end, she is a relentless on-ball defender with a nose for the ball that leads to more steals and rebounds typically expected from a 5-foot-9 guard.
Last season, Morgan shot 48.9% from the field while averaging 13.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.
Morgan’s 31-point outing against Stanford set a new personal record, and a careerhigh 14 assist effort helped her record the first tripledouble of her career against Clemson.
While Morgan is replacing Amoore on the roster, it has been made clear that she will not be expected to replace what the WNBA first-rounder provided on the court.
“When she (Morgan) got to us I told her very bluntly, ‘Look, I don’t want you to fill Georgia
Amoore’s shoes, I want you to bring your own.’ And she’s done a tremendous job,” Brooks said.
Amoore’s value was rare and would be difficult to replicate by anyone. Her familiarity with Brooks, after spending her whole career playing under him, isn’t something that could be fostered in one offseason.
The connection with Brooks and the success it brought for Amoore was part of the reason that Morgan committed to Brooks and Kentucky. It was less about what Amoore did for Brooks, and more about what Brooks did for Amoore.
“I knew that Coach Brooks would prepare me to be a pro, and ultimately that’s where I want to be. I’ve seen him do it with multiple guards before me, of course, Georgia being the latest,” Morgan said. “Just knowing that he has a blueprint and trusting in his plan, I know that I’ll be able to make my dream come true.”
Coming from an ACC school, Morgan witnessed Amoore’s development and Brooks’ coaching firsthand while the two were at Virginia Tech. Brooks also recruited Morgan out of high school, so there was a level of familiarity that was established before she entered the transfer portal.
“We’ve always known each other,” Morgan said. “I knew this was definitely a
possible destination and I’m pretty happy with my choice.”
Morgan and Amoore also have differing playstyles, so it’s reasonable to believe that Morgan wouldn’t fit into the shoes of Amoore even if it were expected.
“We’re excited for what she’s going to be able to bring to us, because she can do some things that Georgia couldn’t do,” Brooks said. “So, it’s up to me to tap into those resources, and I’m excited for what she’s going to be able to do this year.”
One thing that has stood out to Morgan’s new teammates, specifically in relation to Amoore, is her speed.
“I didn’t know anyone could be faster than Georgia, but Tonie is one of the fastest people I’ve ever witnessed,” Kentucky forward Teonni Key said. “Her pushing that pace for us, I think, has been honestly phenomenal.”
Morgan will be the Wildcats’ starting point guard in the 2025-26 season, where she is anticipated by many to do great things. She was named to the 2025-26 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Preseason Top 20 Watch List.
The belief in Morgan and what she could provide for Kentucky is widespread and well-founded.
The best part, she will be doing it her way.
Kentucky guard Tonie Morgan gathers ball during the women’s basketball game against Morehead State on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at Historic Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 75-59. PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | STAFF
Clara. Amelia. Teonni: ‘C.A.T.s’ trio
Brett Ramsey sports@kykernel.com
Kentucky women’s basketball is returning all three members of their starting frontcourt. The trio combined for 93 starts, 1098 points, 800 rebounds and 165 blocks last season.
While they played second fiddle to the powerful backcourt in the 2024-25 season, they will be expected to produce in a big way this season.
The Wildcats’ front-court trio of center Clara Strack, small forward Amelia Hassett and power forward Teonni Key go by the triplets or the ‘C.A.T.s.’
“I’m very excited about those three. We call them the triplets. What they’re going to be able to accomplish this year after having a year under their belt,” Kentucky Head Coach Kenny Brooks said.
Each member of the trio provides great value on both ends of the floor. The versatility they possess at their height is rare. Key and Strack are both 6-foot5, while Hassett stands at 6-foot-4.
“This is probably the tallest team I’ve ever had in my 25 years of coaching, and I think we’re going to be able to use that to our advantage,” Brooks said.
It became clear in the 2024-25 season that all three are spectacular defenders with game-changing capabilities.
The ‘C.A.T.s’ combined for 5.4 blocks per game, totaling more than all, but 10 Division I teams. They also combined for 25.9 rebounds per night, accounting for 65.4% of the Wildcats’ total.
will drive 2025-26 offense
However, there still seemed to be lots of offensive potential to be realized. The offensive scheme was very backcourt-oriented with the triplets serving mostly as complementary pieces.
Georgia Amoore was the offensive engine last season. In conference play, Amoore either scored or assisted on 49.5% of Kentucky’s points.
In Amoore’s absence, the Wildcats’ offensive game plan will likely be heavily driven by the frontcourt, a direct contrast to the plan of last season.
Strack and Key have both proven their ability to score near the rim and function as traditional bigs, with traits that make them incredibly effective in this role. The pair also possesses impressive dribbling and passing skills for their height.
“Because both of them are 6-foot-5, mobile post players. It gives us an opportunity to do a lot of different things that you normally would see with post players,” Brooks said.
This season, the pair will break free from the traditional role and showcase their versatility.
“Our forward-center combination has to be one of the better ones in the country,” Brooks said. “Just because of their experience, their height, their mobility, what they can provide and we’re looking forward to utilizing it.”
Strack will likely see the biggest benefit from the changes to the offensive game plan. Her point-forward capabilities will give Brooks lots of room for creativity.
“We’re doing things unorthodox where instead of her always setting the ball screen and rolling, she’s getting the ball screen set for her, and she’s coming off of it because she’s such a dynamic passer,” Brooks said. “I think she’s one of the best passing post players in the country.”
As the ball-handler in screen actions, Strack will also need to shoot 3-pointers proficiently to stress the defense. She must handle the ball effectively to utilize her passing ability as well. She has been working in the offseason to improve on her 23.8% from 3-point range last season.
“We worked all spring, summer and fall on my three and things outside on the perimeter,” Strack said. “So, I think it’s definitely becoming more comfortable for me.”
Last season, Hassett stressed opposing defenses with her off-ball movement, always
requiring attention on the perimeter
She is a lethal 3-point threat, she is dangerous when spotting up or creating her own shot.
The triplets complement each other well and will be very effective when used in tandem, especially on the perimeter. If matched up against bigs on the perimeter, the triplets could take advantage of the stretched defense. If a guard tries to guard them
on the perimeter, they will struggle with the height of the triplets.
It will be exciting to see the benefits of the expansion and development of the frontcourt this season. It will make the Kentucky offense unique and difficult to contain.
