TOWSON, Md. - When Pat Skerry assembled his staff at Towson in the spring, he needed an experienced assistant to help lead a young staff and team.
Kevin Clark fit the bill as a coach who not only has experience as a long-time assistant coach, but has also been a head coach at the Division I and III levels.
Clark came to Towson mainly because of his relationship with Skerry.
"Pat and I go way back to when he was a player," said Clark. "I was a coach at Clark University, a Division III program (1987-91). We maintained a relationship through that. We were also on the staff together at Rhode Island. Pat has tremendous energy and fire."
The former player at Clark University was also impressed with the potential of the school and athletics department.
"Obviously, I loved the campus," Clark said. "Meeting Mike Waddell and the rest of the administration, I felt very positive that we could do some great things."
Before Clark came to Towson, he spent seven years at Rhode Island out of the Atlantic 10. During his tenure as an assistant coach for Jim Baron, the Rams compiled a 129-97 record that included three trips to the NIT and a berth in the 2011 CBI (College Basketball Invitational).
Last year, Rhode Island posted its fourth straight 20-win season with a 20-14 mark.
Clark also enjoyed great success as an assistant with St. John's in the late 90s under Mike Jarvis. The Red Storm compiled a 114-79 record with Clark as an associate head coach from 1998 to 2003. In 2003, the Red Storm won the NIT Championship.
After that season, Jarvis stepped down on Dec. 20, 2003 and Clark was named interim head coach. He guided the Red Storm over the final 17 games of the season, which included wins over UCLA and Georgetown.
Prior to St. John's, Clark also enjoyed tremendous success as an assistant to Jarvis at George Washington University. In four seasons, the Colonials compiled a 78-45 mark that included a 24-9 record in the 1997-98 season.
As a head coach at his alma mater, Clark University, Coach Clark compiled a 61-43 record that included the 1988 NCAA Division III Northeast regional championship.
So, while Clark has enjoyed a lot of success as an assistant, associate and head coach, he came to a Towson team with no returning starters, one returning letter winner and three freshman guards. Finding success with such an inexperienced squad has been very difficult early in the season.
"The team is growing," said Clark. "There is one guy that has played in the past. All these guys are caught in the middle of a rebuilding process. They are being coached very hard so we can instill a system. They are learning how to play college basketball."
Clark has coached at two schools that played in the Atlantic 10 (GW and URI) and one school in the Big East (St. John's). Like Skerry, he's been there at the high-major level, mid-major level and even at Division III. He knows what it takes to get to the postseason, so his role as a veteran coach is to guide the players and staff.
"(My role is to) just be around and mentor," said Clark. "Lend a hand where Coach Skerry needs it and to mentor a young staff as well."
The staff was worked extremely hard to bring in four freshmen for next season along with two transfers. While this year looks like a transition season, next year could be the one that turns the program around.
Towson brought in four very highly-regarded players in guards Frank Mason (6-0, 170) and Jerome Hairston (6-3, 185) in addition to forwards Timajh Parker-Rivera (6-7, 210) and Barrington Alston (6-8, 220).
Junior transfers Jerrelle Benimon (6-7, 237) and Mike Burwell (6-6, 210) are sitting out this year and will bring some much needed Big East experience next season when they are eligible.
"We're looking forward to it," said Clark. "We have to continue to build this season. We will have a great offseason. The influx of the two guys sitting out and the four guys coming in makes the future very bright."
