Gary Clark
- School
- Cincinnati
- Position
- Forward
- Major
- Criminal Justice
Classroom
Gary Clark is on pace to earn his criminal justice degree from the University of Cincinnati this spring. An honor roll recipient, Clark also earned UC’s prestigious 2016 Legion of Excellence award for owning the highest cumulative grade-point average on the men’s basketball team. During the summer of 2016 he interned directly with Dr. Robin Engel, who serves as UC’s Vice President of Safety and Reform, working to positively impact campus safety.
Character
Clark maintains a high level of integrity consistent with the expectations set through the values and mission of the athletic department. He serves as a positive example and strong representative of his team, university and the city of Cincinnati. He continually encourages and pushes his peers to strive for excellence. Every fall, he participates in campus orientation efforts to help new students grow comfortable with their surroundings. UC Head Coach Mick Cronin said, “He’s one of the greatest kids you will ever coach. I can only hope that the good Lord thinks I’m half as nice a human as Gary Clark, because he’s a really good person.”
Community
Clark continues to actively volunteer in the community, having logged more than 50 hours of service since becoming a student at the University of Cincinnati. Every year he leads the men’s basketball team along with other student-athletes to volunteer throughout Cincinnati at places such as Our Daily Bread, the Boys and Girls Club and the Friar’s Club, spending time with children and encouraging them to follow rules and stay in school. He and another teammate also recently visited physically challenged fan in an area hospital: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utSdT_c5OV4&feature=youtu.be
Competition
Clark is on numerous preseason award watch lists entering the 2017-18 campaign including the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Lute Olson Player of the Year and the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year. The 2016 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Clark was selected second-team all-conference in the preseason. He entered the season ranked third in the nation among active players for most career rebounds and is a member of Cincinnati’s 1,000-point club. He is on pace to finish his career ranked among the top five players for most rebounds and blocks in school history.
