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.
