By John Hagerty, deputy sports editor
Stella Clark is no stranger to the big moment.
In the second game of their season against Providence College, the women’s basketball team found themselves in a tough spot. Having given up a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter, they had lost their lead along with their momentum. Down three points with only a few seconds remaining, the Huskies needed someone to step up and shoot the 3-pointer to tie the game and send it to overtime.
In only her second collegiate game, first-year guard Clark buried a deep, contested three pointer at the buzzer to extend the game
“For me that was nothing new,” Clark said. “The overtimes and the hectic close games have happened so many times in my life. I feel like no matter where I go it follows me.”
Clark burst onto the scene right away, averaging 13.1 points per game and already collecting a record three CAA Rookie of the Week honors.
Based on her stellar performance thus far, she will be a mainstay in the team’s backcourt rotation for years to come. She seems to fit in perfectly with head coach Kelly Cole’s vision for the program.
“She brings that competitive nature,” Cole said. “On the court it shows, but by choices that she makes off the floor, it shows she’s serious about basketball, she’s serious about winning, and serious about getting better. I think that adds to the culture that we are trying to build.”
Clark’s teammates have also taken note of her poise and confidence relative to her experience at the college level.
“Stella has been phenomenal,” third-year forward Gabby Giacone said. “She comes into games with the confidence of an upperclassman.”
Her biography is stuffed with that of a high school basketball legend, including First Team All-State in New Jersey, All-Shore Conference First Team and a Central New Jersey state championship, to name a few.
However, despite her basketball accomplishments, her identity isn’t confined to the court.
Like most students at NU, she likes to explore Boston. She enjoys it all — the diverse neighborhoods, coffee shops and especially the live music.
“I love going to concerts, I’ve already gone to three or four,” Clark said. “There’s a lot of great venues here.”
Her hometown is Sea Girt, New Jersey, a beach town adjacent to the Jersey Shore.
“I live a 10-minute bike ride away from the beach,” Clark said. “I go there all the time.”
She also competed on her school’s championship-winning surfing team. Surfing, while uncommon across the country, is a big part of her town’s culture and her family’s tradition.
“My younger brother is huge into surfing. It’s really common in my family to pick up a board and go surfing,” Clark said. “Surfing is a great hobby for me and I was really lucky to be on the state championship team.”
Her fearless nature does not end on the court or on the water.
“I love going on adventures, like hikes and stuff,” Clark said. “I love going cliff jumping.”
For Clark, the shift from beach town life to city life has been quite the adjustment.
“Being in the city now has made me appreciate [home] a lot more,” she said. “I definitely miss it.”
While reflecting on how she ended up a Husky, Clark described a pickup game she played at an NU basketball camp. During the game, she was able to witness the friendship and camaraderie among the women’s basketball team.
“Seeing the positive genuine relationships that everyone had was comforting,” Clark said. “Being able to experience their relationships was a key factor in my decision.”
Despite the early success, Clark tries to stay in the moment in regards to her goals for her college years.
“I don’t really have any overall goals yet,” Clark said. “I just want to take one step at a time.”
