COOKEVILLE, Tenn.—Former Golden Eagle three-point specialist Allison Clark returned to her alma mater prior to the 2012-13 season to serve as an assistant coach. Hired by former head coach Jim Davis, she is now working on Kim Rosamond's coaching staff.
"I am extremely excited that Alli Clark has chosen to remain at Tennessee Tech and be part of our staff," said head coach Kim Rosamond. "Alli was an outstanding student-athlete and was a vital part of several championship teams at Tech. She bleeds purple and gold, and she has a huge heart for our players as well as the Cookeville community. She understands the great tradition we have here, and she understands what an honor it is to be part of the Golden Eagle program."
Clark will focus heavily on recruiting, as well as working with the guards on the court, and is primarily responsible for acting as a liaison for the players and academics.
"Tennessee Tech has and will always have a special place in my heart," Clark remarked. "It is a very special privilege to coach at your alma mater. I am very blessed to get the opportunity to coach not only where I played, but also where I grew as a person. I will forever be grateful to Coach Jim Davis for calling me home four years ago and allowing me to be on his staff here at Tech. He is not only a great coach, but also a great man who is very well respected in this profession. He and Mrs. Bobbi are two wonderful people that have impacted my life immensely the past few years."
Before her return to Tech, the native of Shelbyville, Tenn., gained 14 years of coaching experience at a variety of levels. Clark spent two seasons coaching at her high school alma mater, Shelbyville Central High School. Prior to that she spent five seasons (2005-2010) coaching at Middle Tennessee State under Rick Insell, her former high school coach.
"A new era is about to begin as Coach Kim Rosamond takes over the reins of this storied program," Clark continued. "I am most grateful and humbled that when Coach Rosamond accepted this job that she chose to keep me on her staff. I am so impressed with her energy, excitement and vision for this program. I have followed Coach Rosamond's career and she has always been someone I have looked up to in this business. Her relentless work ethic is contagious and I believe that she will bring that to the court each and every day. I'm excited to work and learn from someone who has played and coached at the highest level. She not only understands the hard work that needs to be done on the floor, but she demands that same commitment in the classroom as well. "
An accomplished recruiter, Clark helped Middle Tennessee claim a Top 10 ranked recruiting class in 2006, which included both the Tennessee and Kentucky Gatorade Players of the Year, and a top-25 ranked class in 2009. She helped to develop four All-Americans at MTSU, three of whom continued on to play professional basketball in the WNBA.
"Alli is a tireless worker on the recruiting trail, and she has strong relationships in the state of Tennessee," remarked Rosamond. "Her knowledge of the OVC as well as her ability to help develop and grow our guards will be a great asset. I love the skill set and experience she brings, but most importantly, I value who she is as a person. It is crucial that our staff be a reflection and example of our core values. Alli is the epitome of accountability, positive attitude, relentless work ethic and team-first mentality. She will be an integral part of our future success."
As a student-athlete, Clark played her freshman season at the University of North Texas, earning Big West Conference All-Freshman honors and setting the freshman record for 3-pointers in a season. She then transferred to Tennessee Tech, where she was a three-year letterwinner for coach Bill Worrell.
After sitting out the 1998-99 season due to NCAA regulations, Clark helped Tech win or share the regular season OVC championship all four years she was in Cookeville. Clark was a first-team All-OVC selection as a junior and was named to the OVC All-Tournament teams as a sophomore and junior. A member of the program's NCAA Tournament Team in 2000, she set the single-season and career marks for 3-pointers and was given the Ed Steitz Award as the Best 3-point Shooter in the Nation by the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Clark led her team in accuracy from behind the arc in all three seasons that she lettered and tallied a percentage of .406 from downtown while making 225 three-pointers during her career.
Clark graduated from TTU in 2002 with her bachelor's degree in health and physical education and will begin her fifth season as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles in the 2016-17 season.
