Completed Event: Women's Basketball at Eastern Kentucky on March 19, 2026 , Loss , 58, to, 72
Final Score
Women's Basketball
58
at Eastern Kentucky
72
The University of Utah Athletics
Tilar Clark: Finding Her Way To The U.
1/31/2018 11:22 AM | Women's Basketball
By Riley Elliott
Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Tilar Clark's start to basketball was very different compared to some of her teammates on the Utah women's basketball team. Clark was a very avid volleyball player, and it was her main sport up until she decided to play basketball for the first time when she entered the eighth grade. For somebody who plays collegiate basketball, her first experiences with basketball weren't what you would expect.
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"I always hated basketball up until eighth grade, but then everybody else was doing it," the Idaho Falls, Idaho, native said. "I first started playing in eighth grade because I felt like I was being left out by my friends. We all played volleyball together and then they all played basketball together. So, I decided to start playing so that I could hang out with my friends more, but then I ended up really liking it."
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After she put aside her dislike of the sport, it became one of her passions, and her main sport. During her junior year of high school, she decided to quit playing volleyball and put all of her effort into basketball.
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During her high school basketball career, she was named the Post Register Girls Basketball Player of the Year at Skyline High School, along with Regional Player of the Year as a senior in 2013-14 after averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game. During her junior year of high school, Clark had committed to playing basketball at Utah State University, which she attended after graduating from Skyline High School.
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"I was really into volleyball in high school and I had gotten a lot of letters from that, then coaches started calling about basketball, and that's when I decided that basketball was what I was going to stick with," she said. "I liked how competitive basketball was and the contact of the sport, and not having to be on the other side of the net from somebody."
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At Utah State during the 2014-15 season, she started in 23 games as a freshman, scoring double digits in seven games and averaging 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. After the conclusion of her freshman season, Clark made the decision to transfer to Salt Lake Community College where she spent the 2015-16 season.
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"With me going to SLCC, I was still able to compete and go forward with the recruiting process," Clark said. "I loved my time at SLCC and I'm still close with my coach from there."
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At SLCC, Clark was a NJCAA first-team All-American in 2016 and was named the Scenic West Athletic Conference Co-Player of the year. She also made the NJCAA All-Tournament team, averaging 16.0 points, 2.2 steals and 6.5 rebounds to lead the bruins to a 31-3 overall record. When her time at SLCC community college was over with, she decided to continue her basketball career at the University of Utah.
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"The U. was a Pac-12 school that was still really close to home," she said. "I also really liked what Coach Lynne Roberts was all about. She was a new coach who was bringing something new to Utah women's basketball. Over the past few years it has changed quite a bit and now we're starting to build a name and a brand for ourselves, and I love being a part of that."
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As a junior at Utah she saw action in 23 games. She averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in her first season as a Ute, but has improved drastically in her senior season.
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Through 21 games this year, Clark is averaging 22.0 minutes, 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, also starting the first 15 games. As well as this being her final season playing basketball for the University of Utah, she will also be finishing up her bachelor's degree later this year as well.
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"I'm doing Parks, Recreation and Tourism as my major with an emphasis in hospitality and management," Clark said. "I like the atmosphere of it and being able to be around people, but I don't think I'll use my undergrad much in my career. I plan on getting my master's degree in human resources, or health care and administrations here at the University of Utah."
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After Clark's time at the University of Utah is over with, she plans on continuing her education and finishing her master's degree. She would like to stay at the University of Utah for graduate school, but if she doesn't, she still plans on visiting the U and attending basketball games as well. Clark is a very scrappy and feisty player, who is also a talented scorer who can shoot and slash to the basket. As she continues her senior year as a Ute, look for Clark to continue to improve and impress as the season goes into its final months.
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Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Tilar Clark's start to basketball was very different compared to some of her teammates on the Utah women's basketball team. Clark was a very avid volleyball player, and it was her main sport up until she decided to play basketball for the first time when she entered the eighth grade. For somebody who plays collegiate basketball, her first experiences with basketball weren't what you would expect.
Â
"I always hated basketball up until eighth grade, but then everybody else was doing it," the Idaho Falls, Idaho, native said. "I first started playing in eighth grade because I felt like I was being left out by my friends. We all played volleyball together and then they all played basketball together. So, I decided to start playing so that I could hang out with my friends more, but then I ended up really liking it."
Â
After she put aside her dislike of the sport, it became one of her passions, and her main sport. During her junior year of high school, she decided to quit playing volleyball and put all of her effort into basketball.
Â
During her high school basketball career, she was named the Post Register Girls Basketball Player of the Year at Skyline High School, along with Regional Player of the Year as a senior in 2013-14 after averaging 19 points and nine rebounds per game. During her junior year of high school, Clark had committed to playing basketball at Utah State University, which she attended after graduating from Skyline High School.
Â
"I was really into volleyball in high school and I had gotten a lot of letters from that, then coaches started calling about basketball, and that's when I decided that basketball was what I was going to stick with," she said. "I liked how competitive basketball was and the contact of the sport, and not having to be on the other side of the net from somebody."
Â
At Utah State during the 2014-15 season, she started in 23 games as a freshman, scoring double digits in seven games and averaging 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. After the conclusion of her freshman season, Clark made the decision to transfer to Salt Lake Community College where she spent the 2015-16 season.
Â
"With me going to SLCC, I was still able to compete and go forward with the recruiting process," Clark said. "I loved my time at SLCC and I'm still close with my coach from there."
Â
At SLCC, Clark was a NJCAA first-team All-American in 2016 and was named the Scenic West Athletic Conference Co-Player of the year. She also made the NJCAA All-Tournament team, averaging 16.0 points, 2.2 steals and 6.5 rebounds to lead the bruins to a 31-3 overall record. When her time at SLCC community college was over with, she decided to continue her basketball career at the University of Utah.
Â
"The U. was a Pac-12 school that was still really close to home," she said. "I also really liked what Coach Lynne Roberts was all about. She was a new coach who was bringing something new to Utah women's basketball. Over the past few years it has changed quite a bit and now we're starting to build a name and a brand for ourselves, and I love being a part of that."
Â
As a junior at Utah she saw action in 23 games. She averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in her first season as a Ute, but has improved drastically in her senior season.
Â
Through 21 games this year, Clark is averaging 22.0 minutes, 7.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, also starting the first 15 games. As well as this being her final season playing basketball for the University of Utah, she will also be finishing up her bachelor's degree later this year as well.
Â
"I'm doing Parks, Recreation and Tourism as my major with an emphasis in hospitality and management," Clark said. "I like the atmosphere of it and being able to be around people, but I don't think I'll use my undergrad much in my career. I plan on getting my master's degree in human resources, or health care and administrations here at the University of Utah."
Â
After Clark's time at the University of Utah is over with, she plans on continuing her education and finishing her master's degree. She would like to stay at the University of Utah for graduate school, but if she doesn't, she still plans on visiting the U and attending basketball games as well. Clark is a very scrappy and feisty player, who is also a talented scorer who can shoot and slash to the basket. As she continues her senior year as a Ute, look for Clark to continue to improve and impress as the season goes into its final months.
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Players Mentioned
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