Clark reflects on stellar season, MVC tourney

Story by Ashley Beall

Photo by Joel Venzke

It was an impressive 2013-14 season for junior guard Kyndal Clark. Clark led the MVC in scoring, with 19.3 points per game, and made a single-season MVC record 116 3-pointers.

She was named the 2014 Jackie Styles MVC Player of the Year on March 13 while she helped lead the Bulldogs to a berth in the MVC Tournament title game.

The Times-Delphic sat down with Clark to discuss her big year.

Times-Delphic: You had a pretty amazing season this year, how did it feel?

Kyndal Clark: I’m super proud of this team and the way we finished. We really came together and finished strong.

TD: You broke a record in 3-pointers this season. What’s it like knowing that you are now officially marked down in Drake’s history?

KC: It still hasn’t sunk in, everything that happened this year.

I am very blessed and honored to be recognized along with some of the greats in Drake’s history.

TD:  You were also named MVC Player of the Year. What was going through your head when you found out?

KC:  I actually didn’t find out until the ceremony when they announced it to everyone. I was absolutely shocked and very happy.

I couldn’t believe it and then I was trying to figure out if it was real or not.

TD: You guys came so close to winning the championship game in the conference tournament. How does this loss motivate you for next year?

KC: I think it gives us some momentum going into next year. It gave our younger players great exposure to what is possible, and I think we will use to that our advantage. It was a tough loss, but we are determined to get back their next year.

TD: You really stepped up as a leader for your team this past season. How does the momentum of your record-breaking season help you for next year?

KC: You know, next year I’m just going to enjoy it. It could possibly be the last year of competitive basketball that I ever play, and I want to enjoy every second of it.

Like my mom has always told me, “The journey is the reward.”

TD: What was the most memorable part of your past season?

KC: I have three, first our first game, and win over Creighton. I was proud of the way our team fought that game.

Secondly, the game that we had all of the little kids there. That was awesome.  It reminded me of why I began playing.

Thirdly, the conference tournament. There is just nothing like it.

It was a big deal that we made it as far as we did, yet we believed we belonged there.

And big shout-out to Coach J (Drake head coach Jennie Baranczyk) for being nine months pregnant and being the best coach in the country.