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Cody Clark

Position: Head Cross Country Experience: Second Year Alma Mater: Stephen F. Austin (2007)

Cody Clark is entering his second season as the cross country coach at SFA, also working with the men's and women's distance programs during the track and field season.

The Merit, Texas, native was a standout distance runner in his five-year career with the Lumberjacks and served three years as an assistant coach. Before returning to SFA, he spent the 2010-11 athletic year as head girl's track and field coach at Waller High School where he led the WHS girls to the District 17-4A title.

His impact on the program upon his return was evident as he guided his athletes to 14 school records and had 11 all-SLC selections. Five times one of his athletes brought home a league title, including Lauren Smith capturing the league's cross country championship and earning high-point scorer on the women's side at the SLC Outdoor Championships.

In addition, his athletes also picked up a pair of SLC Outstanding Track Performer nods. Adam Saloom was made his way to the NCAA First Round qualifying meet after the outdoor season, and Randi Plentl was named the SLC Student-Athlete of the Year on the cross country side, all in Clark's first season at the helm.

Before coming back to SFA, Clark's success as a head coach came at the high school level at WHS where 13 athletes off his girl's team qualified for the regional meet. The Lady Bulldogs set eight school records during his year at WHS, claiming four individual district titles and taking home the district's 4x400 crown.

On the boy's side, he also had a pair of runner's qualify for the Class 4A Region III meet in cross country, setting two school records in the process.

Clark helped guide a youthful SFA men's and women's cross country team to second-place finishes at the 2008 SLC Cross Country Championships. SFA finished the meet with four All-SLC honors, and Mitch Ownbey and Stephanie Ganter were named SLC Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The Ladyjacks followed that up with another second-place finish in 2009.

The SFA distance squads proved their strength during the 2009 track and field seasons. SFA recorded four individual titles, and seven all-conference finishes during the outdoor campaign. All told, the Ladyjack and Lumberjack distance runners recorded five individual titles, 10 all-conference performances, three regional marks, two school records and were key in helping the SFA women bring home both the SLC Indoor and Outdoor titles in 2009.

Clark won the 2005 SLC Cross Country championship and was named SLC Cross Country Athlete of the Year. He was a three-time All-SLC honoree overall.

In addition to his 2005 victory in cross country Clark's career highlights include a third-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the 2006 SLC Indoor Championships and a second-place showing in the same event at the 2005 SLC Outdoor Championships.

Clark was a part of three-straight conference titles in cross country.

Clark earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from SFA in May 2007 and a master's in secondary education in August 2009.