Connie Clark
{{short description|American softball coach|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{for|the Tennessee Supreme Court justice|Cornelia Clark}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Connie Sue Clark
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|12|20}}
| birth_place = Glendale, Arizona, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1984–1985
| player_team1 = Central Arizona JC
| player_years2 = 1986–1987
| player_team2 = Cal State Fullerton
| player_positions = Pitcher
| coach_years1 = 1990–1995
| coach_team1 = Florida State (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1997–2018
| coach_team2 = Texas
| admin_years1 =
| admin_team1 =
| overall_record = {{winpct|873|401|3|record=y}}
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = NCAA: {{winpct|52|39|record=y}}
| championships =
| awards =
- Honda Sports Award (1987)
- NFCA Division I Coaching Staff of the Year (2003)
- NFCA Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year (2006)
- 3× Big 12 Coach of the Year (2002, 2006, 2010)
| coaching_records =
| show-medals =
}}
Connie Sue Clark (born December 20, 1965){{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/NFCAorg/status/678794942907461632|title=NFCA on Twitter}} is an American, former collegiate All-American right-handed softball pitcher and head coach. Clark began her college softball career at the junior college level before finishing her last two years with the Cal State Fullerton Titans from 1986–87 and leading them to the 1986 Women's College World Series championship title. She is the Big West Conference career leader in ERA and WHIP for her two seasons, she also ranks top-10 for those records for both the Titans and the NCAA Division I.{{cite web |url=https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/0/d/iaqraz9h6pjs50/SoftballRecordBook.pdf |title=2019 Record Book |location=Cloudfront.net |access-date=2020-07-09}}{{cite web |url=https://bigwest.org/documents/2020/6/3/20_SB_Record_Book.pdf |title=Big West Softball Record Book |location=Bigwest.org |access-date=2020-07-09}}{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/SB_Records/2020/D1.pdf |title=Division I Records |location=Ncaa.org |access-date=2020-07-07}}
Clark was named the inaugural head coach of the Texas Longhorns softball program, a position she held from 1997 to 2018. Along the way she was mentor to athletes Christa Williams, Cat Osterman and Blaire Luna and coached teams to a first No. 1 softball ranking, five college World Series and three national semifinal finishes. Clark was also a head coach for the Netherlands.{{cite web |url=https://catcher.home.xs4all.nl/sb19-3101-connie-clark-new-head-coach-netherlands-softball-team.htm |title=Connie Clark new Head Coach Netherlands Softball Team |location=Catcher.home.xs4all.nl |access-date=2020-07-09}}
Early life and education
Clark was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona and graduated from Greenway High School in nearby Phoenix in 1983. At Central Arizona Junior College, Clark pitched on the softball team under head coach Mike Candrea and led the team to National Junior College Athletic Association titles in 1984 and 1985.{{cite web|url=https://texassports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=1415&path=softball|title=Connie Clark – Head coach – Texas Athletics|website=texassports.com}}
California State Fullerton
Transferring to Cal State Fullerton, Clark had a 20–2 record and nation-best 0.18 ERA leading the Titans to the 1986 Women's College World Series title.{{cite web|url=http://static.psbin.com/u/5/sm6om59s4i974e/1987.pdf|title=page 7}} She earned First Team All-Big West honors. At the World Series, Clark pitched three shutouts and surrendered just one hit and struck out 8 in the title game to defeat the Texas A&M Aggies 3-0 on May 25. She was named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts.{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_champs_records/2019/D1.pdf |title=Division I Softball Championship Record Book |location=Nfca.org |access-date=2020-07-07}}{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_wcws_stats/1986/csuf.htm |title=Cal St. Fullerton WCWS Stats |location=Ncaa.org |access-date=2020-07-09}}
As a senior in 1987, Clark went 33–5.{{cite web|url=http://www.fullertontitans.com/athletics/Hall_of_Fame/HOF_Bios/HOF_Clark|title=Cal State Fullerton Athletics|date=20 October 2015}} She won the Broderick Award (now the Honda Sports Award) as the nation's top softball player in 1987.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fullertontitans.com/athletics/Hall_of_Fame/HOF_Bios/HOF_Clark|title=Cal State Fullerton Athletics|date=2015-10-20|website=Cal State Fullerton Athletics|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.collegiatewomensportsawards.com/archives/softball|title=Softball|website=CWSA|language=en|access-date=2020-03-23}} She earned First Team All-American recognition from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and another conference honor.{{cite web |url=https://nfca.org/awards/awards-history/1987-di-all-american-teams-4682 |title=1998 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America Teams |location=Nfca.org |access-date=2020-07-09}} Clark and the Titans returned to the World Series to defend their title but eventually lost the UCLA Bruins on May 23. Clark tossed 6 innings and struck out 4 in her final appearance.{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/softball_wcws_stats/1987/csuf.htm |title=Cal St. Fullerton WCWS Stats |location=Ncaa.org |access-date=2020-07-09}}
After graduating from Cal State Fullerton, Clark pitched for Team USA in 1987.
Coaching career
From 1990 to 1995, Clark was an assistant coach at Florida State University. She became the inaugural head softball coach at the University of Texas at Austin in June 1995, leading the Texas Longhorns from 1997 to 2018 with a cumulative 873–401–3 record, four Big 12 Conference regular season titles, four Big 12 Conference softball tournament titles, and 19 appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including five in the Women's College World Series.{{cite web|url=http://stats.ncaa.org/people/4936|title=NCAA Statistics|website=stats.ncaa.org}}
Statistics
=[[Cal State Fullerton Titans]]=
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
YEAR
| W | L | GP | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | WHIP |
1986
| 20 | 2 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 0 | 155.1 | 42 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 197 | 0.18 | 0.42 |
1987
| 33 | 5 | 47 | 36 | 32 | 21 | 4 | 283.0 | 133 | 29 | 19 | 70 | 261 | 0.47 | 0.71 |
TOTALS
| 53 | 7 | 70 | 58 | 52 | 37 | 4 | 438.1 | 175 | 34 | 23 | 94 | 458 | 0.36 | 0.61 |
Head Coaching Record
Sources:{{citation|url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/texassports_com/documents/2018/2/7/2018_Texas_Softball_Factbook_FINAL.PDF|title=Texas Softball 2018 Fact Book|pages=28–29|publisher=University of Texas at Austin|year=2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.big12sports.com/standings/Standings.dbml?SPID=13137&DB_OEM_ID=10410&DEF_FY=2017|title=- Big 12 Conference – Official Athletic Site|website=www.big12sports.com}}
{{CBB yearly record start | type = coach | conference = | postseason= }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name =Texas Longhorns
| conference=Big 12 Conference
| startyear =1997
| endyear =2018
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1997
| name = Texas
| overall = 30–24
| conference = 6–10
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1998
| name = Texas
| overall = 49–16
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 1999
| name = Texas
| overall = 45–17
| conference = 10–4
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2000
| name = Texas
| overall = 30–27–1
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2001
| name = Texas
| overall = 24–29
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2002
| name = Texas
| overall = 50–13
| conference = 17–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2003
| name = Texas
| overall = 49–9
| conference = 15–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2004
| name = Texas
| overall = 24–25
| conference = 5–13
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2005
| name = Texas
| overall = 49–13
| conference = 11–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2006
| name = Texas
| overall = 55–9
| conference = 15–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2007
| name = Texas
| overall = 35–20
| conference = 8–10
| confstanding = 6th
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2008
| name = Texas
| overall = 29–23–2
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2009
| name = Texas
| overall = 40–20
| conference = 11–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2010
| name = Texas
| overall = 43–15
| conference = 14–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2011
| name = Texas
| overall = 46–10
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2012
| name = Texas
| overall = 47–13
| conference = 16–8
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = NCAA Super Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2013
| name = Texas
| overall = 51–10
| conference = 14–4
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = Women's College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2014
| name = Texas
| overall = 35–23
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2015
| name = Texas
| overall = 38–17
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2016
| name = Texas
| overall = 38–16
| conference = 10–7
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2017
| name = Texas
| overall = 33–26
| conference = 7–10
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 2018
| name = Texas
| overall = 33–26
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Regionals
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = Texas
| overall = {{winpct|873|401|3|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{winpct|243|142|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = {{winpct|873|401|3|record=y}}
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Twitter|CoachcClark}}
{{Texas Longhorns softball navbox}}
{{Big 12 Conference Softball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{Honda Sports Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Connie}}
Category:American female sports coaches
Category:American softball coaches
Category:Softball coaches from Arizona
Category:Cal State Fullerton Titans softball players
Category:Florida State Seminoles softball coaches
Category:Texas Longhorns softball coaches
Category:Central Arizona Vaqueros softball players
Category:Sportspeople from Glendale, Arizona