Metro State Roadrunners Athletics News
Metro State Roadrunners Athletics News www.GoMetroState.com For immediate release: June 3, 2010
Metropolitan State College of Denver • Department of Athletics • Fax: 303-556-2720 Mail: Campus Box 9 • P.O. Box 173362 • Denver, CO 80217 • Ship: 1201 5th St. • Denver, CO 80217 Sports Info. Director: Andy Schlichting, O: 303-556-3431, C: 612-964-1281, [email protected]
Metro State’s Names Clark Men’s Basketball Coach DENVER, Colo. - Metro State athletic director Joan McDermott announced Derrick Clark as the new men’s head basketball coach on Thursday afternoon. Clark becomes the seventh men’s basketball coach in the College’s illustrious history and replaces Brannon Hays, who resigned in May. “We are extremely excited to bring Derrick back to Metro State,” McDermott said. “He has proven to be an excellent coach at both the Division I and Division II levels. He has all of the qualities we were looking for in our next coach, both on and off the court. Derrick will be a great addition to our staff.” Clark joins Metro State after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado. While at CU, he was responsible for offcampus recruiting, scouting opponents, summer camps and day-to-day operations for the Buffaloes. In his final season at Colorado, he helped CU improve from a 9-22 season in 2008-09 to a 15-16 finish in 2009-10. As a result, head coach Jeff Bzdelik was hired as the head coach at Wake Forest. Clark also spent two successful years with Bzdelik at the Air Force Academy. The Falcons reached the NCAA Tournament in 2005-06 and the National Invitational Tournament Final Four the next year, while totaling a record of 50-16 (.758) and 22-10 (.688) in the Mountain West Conference during his two years at Air Force. Both records are bests over a two-year span in school history. Prior to his time at Air Force, Clark was on Metro State’s coaching staff for eight seasons from 1997 through 2005, including the final five years as a full-time assistant. He oversaw recruiting, development of post players and office administration, while handling travel arrangements, academics and scouting. He helped make Metro State a national powerhouse, serving under the winningest coach in Metro State history, Mike Dunlap. During Clark’s first stint with the Roadrunners, they won national championships in 2000 and 2002, and made three other trips to the Division II Elite Eight. In his eight seasons at Metro State, the team posted a 227-40 (.850) record. Before beginning his coaching career, Clark played for the Shepparton Gators, a professional team in Australia from 1995-97. He earned his bachelor’s degree from California Lutheran University in 1995 in criminal justice, where he played under Dunlap. In his two seasons at Cal Lutheran, he was named first team all-conference and led the Kingsmen to a pair of NCAA Division III Sweet 16 appearances. A native of Sacramento, Calif., Clark graduated from Foothill High School. He is married to the former Laurie Wilbur and the couple has twins, Isaiah and Alexis. “I’d like to thank Joan for this chance to return to Metro State,” Clark said. “I’m extremely excited about this great opportunity. I have great respect for Metro State. It’s proven to be an elite program and a place that competes nationally. I look forward to getting started with the players and to start meeting them.”
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Metropolitan State College of Denver • Department of Athletics • Fax: 303-556-2720 Mail: Campus Box 9 • P.O. Box 173362 • Denver, CO 80217 • Ship: 1201 5th St. • Denver, CO 80217 Sports Info. Director: Andy Schlichting, O: 303-556-3431, C: 612-964-1281, [email protected]
Metro State’s Names Clark Men’s Basketball Coach DENVER, Colo. - Metro State athletic director Joan McDermott announced Derrick Clark as the new men’s head basketball coach on Thursday afternoon. Clark becomes the seventh men’s basketball coach in the College’s illustrious history and replaces Brannon Hays, who resigned in May. “We are extremely excited to bring Derrick back to Metro State,” McDermott said. “He has proven to be an excellent coach at both the Division I and Division II levels. He has all of the qualities we were looking for in our next coach, both on and off the court. Derrick will be a great addition to our staff.” Clark joins Metro State after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Colorado. While at CU, he was responsible for offcampus recruiting, scouting opponents, summer camps and day-to-day operations for the Buffaloes. In his final season at Colorado, he helped CU improve from a 9-22 season in 2008-09 to a 15-16 finish in 2009-10. As a result, head coach Jeff Bzdelik was hired as the head coach at Wake Forest. Clark also spent two successful years with Bzdelik at the Air Force Academy. The Falcons reached the NCAA Tournament in 2005-06 and the National Invitational Tournament Final Four the next year, while totaling a record of 50-16 (.758) and 22-10 (.688) in the Mountain West Conference during his two years at Air Force. Both records are bests over a two-year span in school history. Prior to his time at Air Force, Clark was on Metro State’s coaching staff for eight seasons from 1997 through 2005, including the final five years as a full-time assistant. He oversaw recruiting, development of post players and office administration, while handling travel arrangements, academics and scouting. He helped make Metro State a national powerhouse, serving under the winningest coach in Metro State history, Mike Dunlap. During Clark’s first stint with the Roadrunners, they won national championships in 2000 and 2002, and made three other trips to the Division II Elite Eight. In his eight seasons at Metro State, the team posted a 227-40 (.850) record. Before beginning his coaching career, Clark played for the Shepparton Gators, a professional team in Australia from 1995-97. He earned his bachelor’s degree from California Lutheran University in 1995 in criminal justice, where he played under Dunlap. In his two seasons at Cal Lutheran, he was named first team all-conference and led the Kingsmen to a pair of NCAA Division III Sweet 16 appearances. A native of Sacramento, Calif., Clark graduated from Foothill High School. He is married to the former Laurie Wilbur and the couple has twins, Isaiah and Alexis. “I’d like to thank Joan for this chance to return to Metro State,” Clark said. “I’m extremely excited about this great opportunity. I have great respect for Metro State. It’s proven to be an elite program and a place that competes nationally. I look forward to getting started with the players and to start meeting them.”
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