Jan. 1, 2009

BERKELEY - California head coach Jack Clark was named National Coach of the Year by American Rugby News on Dec. 29 in honor of his 2008 season, a 24-1 campaign that puts Clark's career coaching record at 440-66-5 (.861) after 25 seasons, making him the all-time winningest coach in the Cal rugby program's 127-year history.

"You accept recognition on behalf of your players and your team," Clark said of the honor. The sixth coach in Cal rugby's history also gave praise to his players and staff for their invaluable contributions to the Bears' success.

Clark was selected by ARN as the Coach of the Year from a pool of candidates representing U.S. coaches at all levels. He was also named Best Coach of the Spring by The Daily Californian May 7, edging out Joanne Boyle, the honorable mention following her women's basketball team's third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.

In announcing the award, ARN editor Brian Lowe praised Clark's "phenomenal achievement this year in winning his 20th national championship with the Golden Bears. What an outstanding achievement and one which will stand for a long, long time."

Additional highlights of Cal rugby's 2008 season, which ended with the team's 24th title, included winning its third straight UCLA Tournament, triumphing in battles for both the Scrum Axe against Stanford and the "World Cup" against UBC, and defeating Old Mission Beach Athletic Club, the 2006 Rugby Super League champion.

Nine student-athletes were tabbed All-Americans and 12 earned the distinction as University of California Scholar Athletes.

Clark became the head coach for Cal rugby after a successful football and rugby career for the Bears was followed by post-collegiate rugby campaigns on the U.S. National Team. Clark's play as a United States Eagle earned him a spot on the World XV team that was invited to play the Welsh National Team during its centennial celebration in Cardiff, Wales, in 1980.

The Bears' success under Clark has included 20 national titles (including 12 in a row from 1991-2002 and the past five straight), an impressive combined record of 31-1 against rugby powerhouses Army, Navy and Air Force; nine of the last 12 World Cups vs. University of British Columbia, and a domestic winning streak of 98 games from 1990-96, followed immediately by a 70-game tear that lasted until 2003.

Clark has also served as head coach for the Collegiate All-America team, from 1985-92; head coach of the U.S. National Team, from 1993-99; and general manager for the national team, from 1993-2003.

Following its season opener on January 10th, the Cal Bears will travel down to Los Angeles to face off in the UCLA Tournament, hoping to seize their fourth consecutive weekend gathering of fellow Pac-10 universities.