Patty Clarke, a former assistant at the University of Pennsylvania and Kean, has been named the head softball coach at Rutgers-Newark, Director of Athletics Mark Griffin has announced. 

Clarke served as a graduate assistant to Renee Clarke (no relation) at Kean from 1994 to 1997. She helped the Cougars post a 24-20 record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 1995. In 1996, Kean posted a 20-16 mark and garnered an ECAC Championship tournament berth.

“Understanding that it is a process,” Clarke states, “I want Rutgers-Newark softball to become a highly competitive program with successful student-athletes.

“My immediate goals are to get to know the current players as individuals and as a team, and to quickly become more familiar with the campus.”

She served as assistant coach to Carol Kashow at the University of Pennsylvania during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Clarke also served as assistant coordinator of athletic facilities at Penn, helping organize usage of facilities for 23 varsity sports and the university community.

Clarke also served stints as a pitching coach at Towson State (1999-2000), Ramapo (1993-94), her alma mater Georgian Court (1992-93) and Bloomfield (1992) after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1991.

She served as director of the Kean Softball Camps from 1995 through 1997 and has worked as a clinician at Princeton, TCNJ, Temple and Villanova.

A Hudson County native, Clarke was an all-star pitcher at St. Joseph’s of the Palisades High School in West New York.  At Georgian Court, she was a three-time all-district and two-time all-conference pitcher.

Clarke returns to college coaching after spending the past five years as an insurance agent.