Head coach Damian Clarke enters his 15th season leading the Fort Lewis College women’s soccer program in 2026.
Across two tenures with the Skyhawks, Clarke owns a 157-73-60 record at Fort Lewis and a 197-100-55 mark overall as a collegiate head coach.
In 2025, Clarke guided the Skyhawks to one of the strongest defensive seasons in program history. Fort Lewis finished 11-5-3 while setting school records with 10 consecutive shutouts and 987 straight minutes without conceding a goal. The Skyhawks went 8-0-1 at home and did not allow a goal on Dirks Field throughout the season. Goalkeeper Trinity Lujan earned RMAC Freshman of the Year honors after ranking fourth nationally in goals-against average (.382) and shutouts (12). Fort Lewis finished second in NCAA Division II in goals-against average (.368), third in save percentage (.901), and third in shutout percentage (.737).
The 2024 season saw the Skyhawks advance to the RMAC Tournament Championship match after defeating Regis at home and earning road penalty-kick victories over nationally ranked Colorado Mesa and MSU Denver. Fort Lewis finished 9-6-6 overall and placed six players on the All-RMAC teams. Gabi Meraz-Fishbein earned Second Team All-RMAC recognition and was named the RMAC Summit Award winner.
In 2023, Fort Lewis opened the season with a 10-match unbeaten streak and earned an RMAC Tournament berth. Five players received All-RMAC honors, while 12 earned RMAC All-Academic recognition.
Before returning to Fort Lewis, Clarke spent four seasons at Midwestern State University, where he posted a 40-27-13 record, won the 2016 Lone Star Conference championship, and made two NCAA South Regional Championship appearances.
During his first tenure at Fort Lewis from 2007-13, Clarke compiled a 106-31-17 record and became the winningest coach in program history. The Skyhawks qualified for seven NCAA Tournament appearances, hosted four regional tournaments, captured RMAC Tournament titles in 2007 and 2009, and won the program’s lone RMAC regular-season championship in 2010.
Clarke led Fort Lewis to historic heights during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The 2009 squad finished 18-3-3, won the RMAC Tournament title, and achieved the program’s highest national ranking at the time (No. 11). The following year, the Skyhawks went 18-3-2, climbed to No. 3 in the national rankings, won the NCAA Central Region Championship, advanced to the Elite Eight, and claimed the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory.
For his success, Clarke earned NSCAA/Mondo Collegiate Central Region Coach of the Year and RMAC Coach of the Year honors in 2009. He was named RMAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2010 and repeated as NSCAA Central Region Coach of the Year.
A former Skyhawk student-athlete, Clarke played for Fort Lewis from 1994-95 and 1997-98, appearing in 69 matches and helping the program win three conference championships. He also competed in the Skyhawks’ first NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998.
After graduating from Fort Lewis in 2004 with a degree in History, Clarke began his coaching career as an assistant under former head coach Jaymee Carozza, whom he credits as a major influence on his coaching philosophy.
Clarke and his wife, Sherin (Tozier) Clarke, a former Fort Lewis women’s soccer player, have two sons, Taye and Sammy.
