Bill Clarke
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- Organization:
- Men's Soccer
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- Year:
- Class of 2011
Clarke (1967-71) - The head coach of Cleveland State's men's soccer team from 1967-71, Clarke coached the team to national prominence, taking the program to the first three NCAA playoff appearances in school history. He coached two All-Americans, 37 all-conference/ region selections, and four current Cleveland State Hall of Famers. Clarke ranks second among CSU soccer coaches with a .694 winning percentage (43-17-7 overall), and his 43 wins are the fifth most all-time. He led the Vikings to a No. 16 national ranking in 1970, CSU's first-ever national ranking in soccer. In the 1969 tournament, CSU upset defending national champion Michigan State, 3-0, before losing to the eventual national champion St. Louis, 2-1. His teams finished 1969 and 1970 as the top-ranked collegiate team in the state while his 1968 squad set an Ohio collegiate season record with nine shutouts. In 1971, the Vikings scored 24 goals against Wright State, a single-game scoring record that may never be broken. He also served as the head coach of the tennis team from 1968-72, compiling 25 victories. Clarke passed away in April of 1997 at the age of 75.
