ST. PAUL, MINN. – It was a big week for the St. Catherine University basketball team. The Wildcats reached two big milestones last weekend, including their first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) tournament berth since the 2009-10 season. Key to St. Kate’s success was none other than junior guard Audra Clark (Kenyon, Minn. / Kenyon-Wanamingo), who also reached a career milestone. For her performances, Clark has been named Wildcat Athlete-of-the-Week.
Clark’s outstanding week started on Wednesday, when the junior scored a career-high 26 points in the Wildcats 63-61 win over Concordia College. In a tight game that featured over 10 lead changes, Clark was an offensive catalyst for St. Kate’s, accounting for 41% of the team’s points. She was also clutch in the final minute, as she scored the game-winning basket with under five seconds to go in regulation.
After her 26 point performance against the Cobbers, Clark needed just five more to score her 1000 career point, one of the biggest milestones in college basketball. In Saturday’s game against Saint Mary’s University, Clark didn’t waste any time achieving the feet. Her huge three-pointer in the first quarter not only ignited St. Kate’s struggling offense, but also got her within two points of the milestone. Then, in the second quarter, Clark became the eighth Wildcat in program history to score 1000 points with a left handed layup in traffic.
More important, Clark also played a large role in St. Kate’s 55-52 comeback win over the Cardinals. The junior scored nine points and had a hand in multiple scoring plays, which helped the Wildcats secure a spot in the MIAC playoffs.
Thanks to Clark and company’s outstanding performances, St. Kate’s broke several program records last week and secured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the late 1970s. With the win over Saint Mary’s on Saturday, the Wildcats are now guaranteed their best record in MIAC play in recent history and since head coach Sean Pinkerton took over the program four years ago. St. Kate’s will return to the court on Wednesday to face Gustavus Adolphus College in its last home game of the regular season.
