Western New Mexico athletic director Scott Woodard announced Wednesday that Adam Clark has been promoted to head football coach of the Mustang program.

“We were excited to have Adam join our staff as defensive coordinator in February and are thrilled to have him now as the head coach,” says Woodard. “He has a very impressive resume and has come from some very successful programs. We can't wait for him to lead the Mustangs into the 2010 season.”

Clark has spent his entire football career as both a player and a coach with winning programs. He has won eight or more games nine out of the last 10 years at the college level. He has also won seven conference championships and had two runner-up conference finishes as a player and as a coach during that span.

Clark came to WNMU after back-to-back second place finishes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the Colorado School of Mines where he was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator.

Clark help build the Orediggers to an RMAC powerhouse, finishing just one game behind conference champions the University of Nebraska-Kearney last season. While at Mines, Clark coached the RMAC Defensive Player of the Year and three all-conference defensive linemen selections in 2009. The team also finished ranked in the top 25 in the nation in run defense the past two seasons. Mines head coach Bob Stitt credited Clark's strength program as a major reason for Mines' success.

Prior to Mines, Clark spent the 2007 season as the defensive coordinator/assistant head coach at St. Ambrose University, where Clark was selected as the MSFA Assistant Coach of the Year. Clark's 2007 defense was ranked in the top five nationally in four categories, including scoring (fourth, 12.8 points per game), pass defense (second, 134 yards per game), pass defense efficiency (second, 80.6) and turnovers forced (fourth, 38). Clark helped guide the Fighting Bees to a final national ranking of No. 9 in the country.

Clark also spent three seasons (2004-2006) as the defensive secondary and strength and conditioning coach at Graceland University. In 2005, the Jackets finished 9-3, won the school's first conference championship in 30 years, and advanced to their first-ever national playoff. Clark also coached the Defensive Player of the year in the Heart of America Conference in 2005.

A 2002 graduate of St. Ambrose University, Clark earned his bachelor's degree in sociology. Clark, who went on to earn his master's degree in organizational leadership from St. Ambrose, also served as a graduate assistant for his alma mater from 2002-2004.

Clark was a two-year letterwinner on the St. Ambrose football team during his undergraduate career. During his time with the Fighting Bees, Clark raked in all-conference and all-American honors. Prior to attending St. Ambrose, Clark played football at Grossmont Junior College for two years, earning all-conference and all-state accolades.

“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at Western New Mexico University,” says Clark. “I see so much potential in this program, and I believe we will turn this program into something the entire WNMU community and Silver City will be proud of.”