Bobby Clark Led the Irish to the Sweet 16 for the First Time in School History Last Season
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Coaching Staff Bobby Clark led the Irish to the Sweet 16 for the first time in school history last season. Head Coach Bobby Clark Guides Notre Dame Back to National Prominence with Three Consecutive NCAA Tournament Appearances GK Chris Sawyer. Eight Irish players earned all-BIG EAST honors (a school record) while Detter joined clasmate Kevin Richards as the first Clark-era Irish players to be drafted into Bobby Clark Major League Soccer. The 2002 season saw Clark lead his team Head Coach to an impressive 12-6-3 record and spend all but one week ranked in the top-25 (peaking at #5). Fourth Season The Irish ended the BIG EAST season with a final 6-3-1 mark and finished fourth in the Dartmouth College ‘92 league’s final regular-season standings, but lost in the quarterfinals of the conference championship. For the first time in school history, Notre Dame played host to the first-ever NCAA men’s soccer tournament game at Alumni Bobby Clark’s formula for success and his Clark’s tenure wherever he has been. His 17- Field in 2002. The Irish advanced to the sec- reputation for assembling winning teams is year resume has produced a glossy .688 win- ond round of the championship for just the evident after three full seasons at Notre ning percentage, a figure that ties him for xxx second time in school history following a 3-1 Dame. The charismatic and affable Irish’s overall among active Division I head coaches victory over Akron. During the ’02 campaign, leader has guided his teams three consecu- entering the ’04 campaign. Clark’s teams Notre Dame defeated four ranked opponents tive NCAA Championship appearances (a have posted a 193-79-32 mark during his and three top-10 foes. Clark’s squad finished program first) and BIG EAST Championship coaching tenure. Prior to becoming Notre the season 20th in the final Soccer America title during the 2003 season. Clark also wit- Dame’s fifth head coach, he had successful rankings. nessed his ‘03 team rise to #3 in the nation, coaching stints at Dartmouth and Stanford. earn the fifth overall seed in the NCAA Regarded as one of the premier tacticians Championship and make the program’s first of the game, Clark has built a reputation of The Bobby Clark File apperance in the NCAA Sweet 16. being a true players’ coach; he’s an individ- Since coming to Notre Dame, Clark has ual who relates easily to the needs of his Coaching Experience engineered a great turnaround. In the two players both on and off the field. 1977-82 Youth Coach seasons prior to his arrival, the Irish suffered Poised with one of the most talented teams Aberdeen F.C. Scottish back-to-back losing seasons in 1999 and 2000 in Notre Dame men’s soccer history, Clark Premier League with a combined 15-17-5. Under Clark, Notre and his staff chose “Making History” as the 1983-84 Director of Coaching Dame is an impressive 40-16-7 (.690) since his team motto for the 2003 season. The Irish fol- Bulawayo Highlanders, arrival. lowed that motto perfectly, claiming the pro- Zimbabwe Super League Clark’s penchant for developing talent is gram’s second BIG EAST Championship (the 1985-93 Head Men’s Coach evident in the fact that Notre Dame has pro- first under Clark), rising as high as third in Dartmouth College duced at least five all-BIG EAST Conference the national rankings, hosting two NCAA 1994-95 Head Coach selections each of the last three seasons - Championship matches at Ivy Field (includ- New Zealand National Team including eight honorees during the ‘03 cam- ing a Sweet 16 contest) and earning the pro- 1996-2000 Head Men’s Coach paign. In addition, he has wasted little time gram’s highest-ever seed in the NCAA Stanford University in assembling one of the most talented line- Championship (fifth overall). 2001-present Head Men’s Coach ups in the program’s history. The ‘04 sopho- While the 2003 season ended with a tough University of Notre Dame more class was ranked among the top five in luck 1-1 tie against Michigan (the Wolverines Playing Experience the nation entering school, while the rookie advanced 4-3 on penalty kicks), Clark has 1962-65 Queens Park in the Scottish class has been ranked among the top 10 in pushed his program to new heights. Notre 2nd Division the nation as well. Dame defeated both teams which appeared Winning has been synonymous with 1965-82 Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier in the NCAA Championship game (St. John’s, League Indiana) during the regular season and have • 1970 Scottish Cup firmly established Notre Dame soccer as a • 1976 League Cup • Hire Date: Jan. 19, 2001 force to reckon with in the nation. • 1980 Premier League The outstanding season was highlighted • Career Record: 193-79-32 (.688) Champions by a memorable run through the BIG EAST 1967 Washington Whips, • NCAA Tournaments: 9 (2 Dartmouth, Championship. The Irish, behind tournament United Soccer Association 4 Stanford, 3 Notre Dame) outstanding defensive player GK Chris 1970 Member of Scotland • Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland Sawyer, shut out all three opponents during World Cup Squad the championship (2-0 vs. Connecticut, 1-0 vs. 1974 Member of Scotland • Education: Physical Education Providence, 2-0 vs. St. John’s) to claim the pro- World Cup Squad • Maritial Status: Wife - Bette gram’s second conference title and first since 1978 Member of Scotland Bobby Clark Profile • Children: Tommy, Jennifer and Jamie 1996. World Cup Squad The Irish program also received numerous 1976 San Antonio Thunder, individual accolades, including All-America North American Soccer League honors for senior F Justin Detter and junior UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME 12 Head Tbe Bobby Clark File (cont.) Coach Year-By-Year Collegiately With Bobby Clark Clark wasted little time in bringing Year School Record Postseason/Honors/Final Rankings the Notre Dame program back into the 1985 Dartmouth 6-7-1 national forefront in his first season in 1986 Dartmouth 9-3-3 2001 as the Irish earned an NCAA 1987 Dartmouth 10-3-1 tournament berth for the first time 1988 Dartmouth 10-4-0 Ivy League Champion since the 1996 campaign. Clark’s 1989 Dartmouth 7-6-1 squad flourished under his guidance 1990 Dartmouth 14-2-2 NCAA Quarterfinals and leadership as the Irish registered a 12-7 #8 ISAA, #16 Soccer America record, which marked the most successful Ivy League Champion season in five years. 1991 Dartmouth 6-6-3 He earned his sixth coach-of-the-year acco- 1992 Dartmouth 11-5-2 NCAA Quarterfinals lade when he was selected as the BIG EAST Ivy League Champion Coach of the Year after leading the Irish to a NSCAA Region I Coach of the Year 7-3 conference mark. Notre Dame tied for sec- New England Intercollegiate Soccer League ond in the final regular-season standings and Coach of the Year advanced to the semifinals of the conference 1993 Dartmouth 9-6-0 championship. It marked the most wins and Dartmouth Totals 82-42-13 (.646) – 9 years highest finish ever by an Irish team in seven 1996 Stanford 10-4-4 MPSF Mountain Division seasons as a league member. Coach of the Year In addition five players earned BIG EAST 1997 Stanford 13-5-2 NCAA First Round all-conference accolades, which included #21 NSCAA, #21 Soccer America two first-team selections (Braun and Detter). NSCAA Far West Region Sawyer, a freshman at the time, was named Coach of the Year to the 11-member Soccer America All- MPSF Mountain Division Freshman Team. Notre Dame also finished Coach of the Year 18th in the final NSCAA and Soccer America 1998 Stanford 18-5-2 NCAA Runnerup rankings. #2 NSCAA, #9 Soccer America Prior to being named head coach at Notre 1999 Stanford 12-4-3 NCAA First Round Dame, Clark spent five seasons at Stanford #23 NSCAA, #15 Soccer America where he produced the most successful era 2000 Stanford 18-3-1 NCAA Quarterfinals in the history of the Cardinal program. When #6 NSCAA, #4 Soccer America he arrived to the Palo Alto, Calif., campus, he Pacific-10 Coach of the Year inherited a team that had produced consecu- Stanford Totals 71-21-12 (.740) — 5 years tive 5-12 campaigns and had not posted a 2001 Notre Dame 12-7-0 NCAA First Round winning record in four years. In his five sea- #18 NSCAA, #18 Soccer America sons at Stanford, Clark turned the program BIG EAST Coach of the Year around, creating a consistent national pow- 2002 Notre Dame 12-6-3 NCAA Second Round erhouse. #20 Soccer America As Director of Soccer, Clark oversaw both 2003 Notre Dame 16-3-4 NCAA Sweet 16 the Cardinal men’s and women’s programs #8 NSCAA, #3 Soccer America and specifically served as the head coach of Notre Dame Totals40-16-7 (.690) — 3 years the men’s program. In his five seasons at the Collegiate Totals 193-79-32 (.688) — 17 years helm of the Cardinal men, Clark compiled a 71-21-12 (.740) record. Clark guided Stanford to As a player, Bobby Clark enjoyed a successful 20-year stint in the Scottish League. 2004 MEN’S SOCCER 13 Head Bobby Clark vs. All Opponents Coach Opponent Record Oakland ............................................................1-0-0 the NCAA Tournament each of his last Air Force............................................................0-0-1 Oregon State ..............................................5-0-1 four years (1997-2000), and his 1998 Akron..................................................................2-0-1 Pennsylvania ..................................................5-1-3 squad was the national runner-up.