Title: Head coach, University of Texas
Sport: Fastpitch Softball
UT Record: 598-270-3

Few coaches can boast of successful 16-year spans in their careers, and even fewer can claim such a span at the beginning of their head coaching days. Since starting The University of Texas’ softball program in 1996, Connie Clark has not only been successful, she has built one of the most successful program’s in college softball.

In 15 varsity seasons, head coach Connie Clark has positioned Texas softball firmly on the national map. No longer considered an upstart program with tremendous potential, Texas has earned its reputation for having the best players, the best facilities, the best traditions and the best coaches. When people talk about Texas softball, they talk about only one thing: winning.

Since its ascension to varsity status in 1997, Texas has emerged as one of the most dominant softball programs in the nation under the direction of Clark. In only 15 seasons as a varsity program, Clark – the 1987 Broderick National Softball Player of the Year as a collegian – has led UT to four Women’s College World Series appearances (1998, 2003, 2005 and 2006), 12 NCAA Tournament appearances (1998-2000, 2002-03, 2005-11), five Big 12 Conference Tournament titles (1999, 2002, 2003 and 2005) and four Big 12 regular-season titles (2002, 2003, 2006 and 2010). In fact, Texas’ appearance in the 1998 WCWS – in just its second varsity season – still ranks as the quickest arrival at the NCAA Division I softball “Elite Eight” tournament in the history of the sport.

Clark’s overall record at UT is 598-270-3 (.687). In 2011, one season after setting a new program record with 88 home runs, the Longhorns set new all-time marks in batting average, on-base percentage and stolen bases. The pitching duo of Blaire Luna and Rachel Fox also combined for one of the best team ERAs in the nation, while Taylor Hoagland set new UT single-season records for home runs and runs scored.

Texas is at the forefront of the national and international softball scene. Clark has produced one national player of the year (three times), eight All-Americans, five Academic All-Americans and countless All-Big 12 honorees.

The Longhorns can also claim two Olympic gold medalists (pitchers Cat Osterman and Christa Williams), and a total of seven national and junior national team members, including current Longhorn Taylor Hoagland, and four members of the 2006 Texas squad (Tina Boutelle, Meagan Denny, Osterman and Desiree Williams).

Clark’s peers have taken notice of her work in Austin, voting her the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2002, 2006 and 2010. For Clark and her assistants’ efforts developing the Texas program, the coaching staff was honored as the 2006 NFCA Midwest Region coaching Staff of the Year after being named the 2003 Speedline/National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division I Coaching Staff of the Year.

Clark, a standout athlete in her playing days, has been associated with national-caliber softball programs everywhere she has been. As an assistant coach at Florida State (1990-95), Clark helped build the Seminoles into a national softball power and led FSU to four appearances in the NCAA Women’s College World Series and to five NCAA Regional appearances.

Prior to coaching at Florida State, Clark was an outstanding pitcher in her own right, leading softball powerhouse Cal State Fullerton to the NCAA Women’s College World Series title as a junior in 1986.

A three-time All-America pitcher, Clark posted a 20-2 record with 197 strikeouts in 155.1 innings while leading the nation with a 0.18 earned run average in 1986. The following year, Clark posted a 33-5 record with 32 complete games, 19 shutouts and 261 strikeouts in 283 innings, earning the Broderick Award as National Softball Player of the Year. Clark’s career ERA of 0.37 as a Titan places her in the top 10 for career ERA in Division I softball.

In 1987, Clark earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from CSF, then worked as a private instructor at the Rod Carew Baseball School in California and conducted private clinics in Tokyo, Japan; Auckland, New Zealand; Shanghai, China; and Italy.

Prior to her two-year stint with Cal State Fullerton, Clark pitched for Central Arizona Junior College under the direction of Mike Candrea, who is now the head softball coach for the five-time NCAA National Champion Arizona Wildcats and the gold-medal winning 2004 Olympic team. Under Candrea’s guidance, Clark led her team to back-to-back NJCAA championship crowns in 1984 and 1985.

For all of her success, Clark was inducted into the Arizona Softball Foundation Hall of Fame (2005), NJCAA Hall of Fame (2006), Cal State Fullerton Athletics Hall of Fame (2009) and Central Arizona Junior College Hall of Fame (2010).