DURANGO, Colo. – February 9, 2018 – The all-time winning coach in Fort Lewis College women's soccer program history is returning to FLC.  Former head coach Damian Clarke will begin his second term with the Skyhawks on February 26.  Clarke replaces Jimmy Hall who resigned earlier this month.
 
"Coming back to Durango was always our end game as a family, at least if we could make it happen," said Clarke.  "Of course, only being away for four years, it never seemed like it was on the immediate horizon, but life seems to never give us too much insight into what's next, you just have to make choices.  The choice to come back to Fort Lewis College and the community of Durango, was a pretty easy choice for our family.  Fort Lewis College and this town have given both Sherin and I education and experience to build a wonderful family and careers to support these elements of our lives.  Now I can bring Sherin and Taye back, and bring back the lessons and experience that Midwestern State and Wichita Falls shared with us.  I am back to continue building this legacy of family that Fort Lewis Soccer has always been, and will continue to be.  I am forever grateful to President Dene Thomas, Barney Hinkle, Lynne Andrew, Sarah Meier, and Jonathan Berzins for believing in my leadership.  We couldn't be more excited to come home."
 
Clarke returns to Durango, Colo. from NCAA Division II Midwestern State University (Wichita Falls, Texas) where he spent the past four years as head coach of the Mustangs.  In four seasons, Clarke collected a 40-27-13 record, including two trips to the NCAA South Regional Championship, and the 2016 Lone Star Conference championship title.
 
"I am very pleased to welcome Damian and his beautiful family back to Fort Lewis College," said Fort Lewis College President Dr. Dene Thomas. 
 
Clarke held the role as head coach for the Skyhawks for seven years from 2007-2013, earning a 106-31-17 record, and a 67-20-11 conference record.  His 106 career victories are most in the program's record books, ahead of Jaymee Carozza (76 career wins), whom Clarke served as assistant coach for six years.  Clarke eclipsed the century mark on Oct. 13, 2013 at New Mexico Highlands. 
 
In 11 seasons as a NCAA Division II head coach, Clarke has earned an impressive 146-58-30 (.688) career coaching record.
 
"I can't tell you how thrilled I am that Damian Clarke has accepted our offer to return to Fort Lewis College as the Head Women's Soccer Coach," said Director of Athletics Barney Hinkle.  "Damian and his family have deep roots in Durango and we are very honored and excited they are coming home.  I look forward to working very closely with Damian in the coming months and years to lead the Fort Lewis College Women's Soccer program to new heights."
 
Clarke's teams have qualified for the NCAA Division II women's soccer playoffs seven times (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2017) and hosted the regional tournament four times (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013). In 2010, Fort Lewis won the Central Region crown and advanced to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. Clarke's team followed that up in 2011 by returning to the Central Region championship game.
 
Under his watch, the Skyhawks won two RMAC tournament titles (2007 and 2009) and the only regular season RMAC championship (2010) in FLC women's soccer history.
 
Clarke was chosen as the 2009 NSCAA/Mondo Collegiate Central Region Coach of the Year and RMAC Coach of the Year, making him the first Fort Lewis women's soccer coach to receive both honors in the same season. He also was chosen as RMAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2010 and repeated as the NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year that same year.
 
In his rookie season at the helm of the FLC women's soccer program, Clarke's Skyhawks won the RMAC tournament, defeating the two-time and defending national champions Metro State in the conference semifinals. He also guided the women's soccer squad to their first-ever NCAA tournament berth that year. The team's 14-5-3 overall mark set a new school record for most wins in one season.
 
During his second year as head coach, Clarke's Skyhawks again posted a winning slate, this time 12-7-2 overall and 9-4-1 in RMAC games.
 
The 2009 season was a record-breaking year for the coach and the Skyhawks. Clarke's team posted the most successful women's soccer record in school history with an 18-3-3 overall mark, a 12-2-2 RMAC slate, their highest-ever national ranking (No. 11), and an NCAA playoff bid. The team also captured its third RMAC tournament crown in four seasons. By hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA Central Regionals, the 2009 squad became the first women's soccer team in school history to host a national playoff game.
 
2010 saw many of those records shattered. Clarke's Skyhawks posted a best-ever record of 18-3-2 overall, 12-1-1 in league games, and climbed to No. 3 in the national rankings. They also picked up their first-ever NCAA playoff win (a 2-1 triumph over Winona State in the Central Regional championship) and reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
 
The 2011 side brought a return trip to the Central Regional championship game, where FLC lost 1-0 to Colorado Mines, but racked up a 15-3-4 overall record, 10-2-2 in RMAC games and matched its highest-ever ranking in the NSCAA/Continental Tire national poll at No. 3 on Sept. 13.
 
Fort Lewis jumped out to a quick start in 2012, earning the program's highest-ever national ranking at No. 2 on Sept. 11. FLC finished the season at 13-4-3 overall and 8-3-3 in the tough RMAC regular season campaign. The Skyhawks split their league playoff games, advancing to the league semifinals for the seventh year in a row.
 
In Clarke's last season at the helm (16-6 overall), The Skyhawks won their first six games of the season, including three double overtime wins.  By the end of the season, the Skyhawks earned the No. 3 seed in the RMAC Tournament with a 10-4 record, advancing all the way to the championship game where they fell to Colorado Mines, 2-1.  FLC was awarded the No. 2 seed in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament and played host to the St. Edward's University (L, 1-0 OT) in the second round.
 
Clarke has been involved in FLC soccer longer than any other person in the history of the two programs. He had a four-year career as a player (1994-95, 1997-98), appearing in 69 games while scoring five goals and notching three assists. As someone who helped establish Skyhawk men's soccer as a perennial regional — and, later, national — powerhouse, he was a member of three conference championships (1995 in the Colorado Athletic Conference, 1997 and '98 in the RMAC) and played in the first two NCAA tournament games in school history (1997 and '98).
 
After his playing career was over, he was asked to assist women's coach Jaymee Carozza. In 1999, their first year together, the women's program won its first RMAC tournament title and touched the Top 25 in the national rankings for the first time in young program's history. Clarke regards Carozza as his mentor and credits her with developing his career as a head coach at Fort Lewis College.

Clarke completed his bachelor's degree in History at Fort Lewis College in 2004.

He and his wife, Sherin, have one son, Taye. Sherin (Tozier) Clarke played for the Skyhawks during the 2000 season.