Eastern Michigan’s New Forward Builds on a Breakthrough Season
After emerging as Akron’s leading scorer in 2025-26, Ni’Rah Clark brings efficient scoring, rebounding ability and two seasons of Division I experience to the Eastern Michigan Eagles women’s basketball program.
Ni’Rah Clark’s collegiate basketball career has been defined by steady improvement. From her early development at Rogers High School in Toledo, Ohio, to her emergence as one of Akron’s leading offensive contributors, the 6-foot-2 forward has continued to build her game through experience and increased responsibility.
Now, Clark is preparing for a new chapter with the Eastern Michigan Eagles for the 2026-27 season. Her arrival gives the program an experienced frontcourt player coming off the most productive offensive season of her college career.
At Akron, Clark developed from a freshman contributor into the team’s leading scorer as a sophomore. Her progress was reflected in her scoring average, shooting efficiency and ability to contribute in several statistical categories.
The move to Eastern Michigan offers another opportunity to continue that development while competing in the Mid-American Conference.
- Full Name: Ni’Rah Clark
- Sport: Women’s Basketball
- Position: Forward
- Height: 6 feet, 2 inches
- Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
- High School: Rogers High School
- College: Eastern Michigan University
- Previous College: University of Akron
- Team: Eastern Michigan Eagles
- Jersey Number: 3
- Academic Classification: Junior for 2026-27
- Major: Architecture
Clark developed her basketball skills at Rogers High School in Toledo, where she competed for the Lady Rams. Her high school career established a foundation built around scoring, rebounding and contributions beyond the offensive end.
During her first three prep seasons, Clark averaged 9.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. In 2022-23, she averaged 11.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest as Rogers recorded 15 victories.
Her high school accomplishments included all-district and all-city recognition. She also helped Rogers achieve district and sectional championship success.
According to her college biography, Clark established Rogers single-game school records of 23 rebounds and 11 blocked shots. Those achievements reflected her ability to compete on the glass and protect the basket.
Her development at Rogers helped prepare her for the transition to college basketball. She joined Akron for the 2024-25 season, beginning her NCAA Division I career in the Mid-American Conference.
Detailed public information about her childhood, family influences and early mentors is limited. Her documented playing record, however, illustrates the foundation she built before entering the collegiate game.
Clark’s freshman season at Akron provided an opportunity to adjust to the pace and physical demands of Division I basketball.
During the 2024-25 season, she appeared in 30 games and made 12 starts. She averaged 6.2 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field.
Her defensive contributions were particularly notable. Clark recorded 29 blocked shots, leading Akron in that category, and demonstrated her ability to challenge opponents around the basket.
She also recorded her first collegiate double-double against Ohio on February 22, 2025, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Earlier that month, she scored 16 points against Toledo, establishing a career high at the time.
These performances provided an early indication of her potential. Clark was developing into a productive frontcourt contributor while gaining experience against conference opponents.
Her freshman season laid the groundwork for a more prominent offensive role in her second year.
Clark took a significant step forward during the 2025-26 season, emerging as Akron’s leading scorer.
She appeared in 29 games, including 24 starts, and averaged 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Her scoring average increased considerably from her freshman campaign, demonstrating her growing offensive responsibility.
Clark averaged 27.3 minutes per game and shot 50.4 percent from the field. Her field-goal percentage led Akron and ranked eighth in the Mid-American Conference. She also converted 71 percent of her free-throw attempts.
Several performances highlighted her development.
Against Binghamton on November 20, 2025, Clark recorded 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. She produced another double-double against Geneva on December 16, scoring 21 points and collecting 11 rebounds.
Her highest-scoring performance came against Massachusetts on January 14, 2026, when she scored a career-high 25 points.
Clark finished the season with 13 double-digit scoring performances, including five games with at least 20 points. She also recorded 14 blocked shots and 21 steals.
The season represented measurable progress in scoring production and defensive activity. Her ability to combine efficient shooting with rebounding and defensive contributions helped establish her as an important player for Akron.
At 6 feet, 2 inches, Clark brings size and collegiate experience to Eastern Michigan’s frontcourt.
Her strongest documented offensive attribute is shooting efficiency. Converting 50.4 percent of her field-goal attempts during her sophomore season demonstrated her ability to finish scoring opportunities consistently.
Rebounding is another established strength. Clark averaged 4.5 rebounds per game as a freshman before increasing that figure to 5.3 in her second season. Her 14-rebound performance against Binghamton further demonstrated her potential to contribute on the glass.
Defensively, Clark has shown the ability to protect the basket and generate defensive plays. Her 29 blocked shots as a freshman and 14 as a sophomore provide evidence of her shot-blocking contributions. Her increase to 21 steals in 2025-26 also demonstrated greater production in another defensive category.
These statistics suggest a player capable of contributing in several areas rather than relying exclusively on scoring. Her effectiveness at Eastern Michigan will depend on how she adapts those skills to the team’s system and responsibilities.
Clark’s documented basketball accomplishments include her high school all-district and all-city recognition, her contributions to Rogers’ district and sectional championship success, and her school’s single-game records for rebounds and blocked shots.
At Akron, she recorded her first collegiate double-double against Ohio in February 2025 and led the team in blocked shots as a freshman.
Her sophomore season brought further achievements. She became Akron’s leading scorer, recorded two double-doubles and established a career-high 25-point performance against Massachusetts. Her 50.4 percent field-goal shooting also ranked among the strongest marks in the conference.
Together, these milestones demonstrate a progression from high school production to an increasingly prominent role in Division I basketball.
Clark’s academic interests include architecture, according to her college biography. Her academic major provides another dimension to her experience as a student-athlete.
Further verified information about her personal interests, charitable activities and community involvement is limited. There is also insufficient public documentation to identify a particular injury comeback or personal adversity as a defining element of her story.
Her basketball career nevertheless reflects the challenges of continued development. Moving from high school to college requires adjustments in competition, preparation and expectations. Clark gained that experience at Akron and now faces another transition as she joins Eastern Michigan.
Eastern Michigan announced Clark’s signing on April 17, 2026, ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Head coach Sahar Nusseibeh welcomed Clark and highlighted her versatility and potential contributions. The coaching staff had observed her performances during her two seasons at Akron and expressed enthusiasm about adding her to the Eagles’ roster.
Clark enters the program as a junior and wears jersey number 3. Her previous experience provides a foundation as she adjusts to a new coaching staff and a different team environment.
Maintaining her shooting efficiency, contributing on the boards and continuing to make defensive plays will be important as she establishes her role. Her previous production offers a useful indication of her capabilities, although her statistics and responsibilities at Eastern Michigan remain to be determined.
Clark’s arrival gives Eastern Michigan a forward with experience against MAC competition and a record of improvement across her first two collegiate seasons.
Her combination of scoring efficiency, rebounding and defensive contributions provides several ways to help the Eagles. Continued development could allow her to become a dependable contributor, but her future impact will be determined by her performance in the seasons ahead.
The most important measure of her next chapter will be whether she can sustain her offensive production while adapting to Eastern Michigan’s system and helping the team meet its competitive goals.
Ni’Rah Clark’s journey from Rogers High School in Toledo to Akron and now Eastern Michigan reflects steady progress and an opportunity for continued growth.
Her rise to become Akron’s leading scorer during the 2025-26 season demonstrated the development of her offensive game. Combined with efficient shooting, rebounding and defensive contributions, that progress gives her a strong foundation for her next collegiate chapter.
At Eastern Michigan, Clark will have the opportunity to build on those accomplishments and establish herself in a new program. Her experience provides a starting point, while her performance during the 2026-27 season will determine the next stage of her development.
For the Eagles, Clark represents an experienced addition with demonstrated production and room to grow. Her next chapter begins with the opportunity to turn the progress she made at Akron into further success in Ypsilanti.
