Aug. 18, 2009

Memphis, Tenn. -

University of Memphis track and field head coach Kevin Robinson announced Tuesday that Doug Clark will be joining the Memphis staff as cross country coach.

“I think it’s great for our program to attract somebody of Doug’s experience,” Robinson said. “He is a very successful coach who has proven himself over the years as one of the best distance and middle distance coaches in the country. I think it speaks volumes for our program and where we are going to be able to attract somebody with the quality that Doug has. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with him now and throughout the future and I think he is going to do some great things for the University of Memphis.”

Clark comes to Memphis with over 20 years of coaching experience, coaching NCAA Division 1 All-Americans in the 1500m, Mile, 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 5000m, distance medley relay and cross country. “I’m very excited about the opportunity, it’s a great opportunity,” Clark said. “I’ve been very impressed with Coach Robinson and all the assistants, the city of Memphis. I have looked around and I think it’s a great place to train. I think we are in a top notch conference and I think we have a great chance to be very competitive. I am going to everything I can possibly do to make sure the distance runners are successful.”

In Clark’s last five seasons at Kansas, the men’s cross country team had four All-Americans. Clark’s men’s cross country team at Kansas finished 12th at the 2005 NCAA Championships and 20th at the 2006 NCAA Championships. He mentored three consecutive Big 12 Champions from 2004-06. He also coached Kansas alumnus Charlie Gruber to a second-place finish at the 2004 Olympic Trials, earning Gruber a place on the 2004 USA Olympic Team in the 1,500 meter run.

Prior to his nine year tenure at Kansas, Clark was an assistant coach at Tulsa under current Kansas coach Stanley Redwine from 1994-2000. While at Tulsa, Clark’s teams held school records in the women’s 1,000 meters, mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, distance medley relay, 4x800-meter relay and 1,500 meters as well as the men’s 800 meters, mile, 3,000 meters, 5,000 meters, 1,500 meters, 3,000 meter steeplechase and distance medley relay. Dwight Davis became the first All-American in Tulsa track history under the direction of Clark. Davis competed in the mile and 1500m in 2000.

In 1994 while at UTEP, Clark assisted the Miners to a No. 3 finish in the nation during the 1994 indoor season and national runner-up honors during the 1994 outdoor championships. Clark also coached former UTEP track athlete Jim Svenoy to the 1994 NCAA Championship in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Clark began his coaching career at the University of Arkansas as a volunteer assistant coach, being promoted to an assistant coach in 1991. While Clark was an assistant, the Razorbacks won three consecutive Triple Crowns in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track during the 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94 school years. As recruiting coordinator, Clark helped assemble one of the most dominant programs in the history of NCAA Track & Field and Cross Country.

A 1981 graduate of Central Missouri State University, Clark was an NCAA qualifier in cross country and qualified for the 2000 Olympic Marathon Trials, running 2:17.40. He was the top Masters runner in Oklahoma from 1996-2000 posting times of 14:58/5K, 25:45/8K, and 31:41/10K.