Staff Directory
Mat Clark
- Title:
- Assistant Coach (Sprints)
- Email:
- Phone:
- (785) 706-8372
Mat Clarkย was announced as a track and field assistant coach, overseeing the sprinters,ย by Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Travis Geopfertย on August 2, 2024.
In his first two seasons, he coached consecutive Big 12 Champions in the women's 400 hurdles, Vanessa Mercera in 2026 with the new school record time of 55.39 seconds andย Safhia Hinds in 2025 in 55.90 seconds. At the 2025 NCAA Championship, Hinds finished 13th in the event in 57.18 seconds for Second Team All-America honors.
Clark has spent most of his professional career with Arkansas, most recently as the director of strength and conditioning for track and field and cross country since 2014. With the Razorbacks, he designed and taught event specific training plans for all athletes, including 5 Bowerman award finalists, also aiding in training professional athletes on campus, including Davis-Woodhall and multiple 2024 Olympians.
ย
Clark trained athletes through 8 NCAA Championship titlesโwomenโs cross country (2019), womenโs indoor (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024), womenโs outdoor (2019, 2024) and menโs indoor (2023). He also oversaw 19 athletes to 33 individuals to NCAA titles, along with 7 Championship relay teams. At the end of the 2020-21 season, Clark was named interim field coach, coaching Markus Ballengee in the decathlon to a bronze medal finish at the NCAA Championship before he finished 7th in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
ย
โIโve worked side by side with Mat Clark for over 10 years now.ย Iโve had the privilege of coaching him in college and upon us hiring him at Arkansas quickly realized how brilliant of a mind he is in our sport,โ Geopfert said.ย โHeโs worked with countless Olympians across a variety of event groups.ย His understanding of how the human body adapts is beyond impressive.ย His knowledge and experience at the highest of levels will be invaluable not just for the sprinters but for all of our student-athletes.ย Iโm thankful for the opportunity to continue to work alongside one of the best minds in the sport of track and field in Mat Clark.โ
Coaching Experience
Athlete Honors
Education
In his first two seasons, he coached consecutive Big 12 Champions in the women's 400 hurdles, Vanessa Mercera in 2026 with the new school record time of 55.39 seconds andย Safhia Hinds in 2025 in 55.90 seconds. At the 2025 NCAA Championship, Hinds finished 13th in the event in 57.18 seconds for Second Team All-America honors.
Clark has spent most of his professional career with Arkansas, most recently as the director of strength and conditioning for track and field and cross country since 2014. With the Razorbacks, he designed and taught event specific training plans for all athletes, including 5 Bowerman award finalists, also aiding in training professional athletes on campus, including Davis-Woodhall and multiple 2024 Olympians.
ย
Clark trained athletes through 8 NCAA Championship titlesโwomenโs cross country (2019), womenโs indoor (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024), womenโs outdoor (2019, 2024) and menโs indoor (2023). He also oversaw 19 athletes to 33 individuals to NCAA titles, along with 7 Championship relay teams. At the end of the 2020-21 season, Clark was named interim field coach, coaching Markus Ballengee in the decathlon to a bronze medal finish at the NCAA Championship before he finished 7th in the U.S. Olympic Trials.
ย
โIโve worked side by side with Mat Clark for over 10 years now.ย Iโve had the privilege of coaching him in college and upon us hiring him at Arkansas quickly realized how brilliant of a mind he is in our sport,โ Geopfert said.ย โHeโs worked with countless Olympians across a variety of event groups.ย His understanding of how the human body adapts is beyond impressive.ย His knowledge and experience at the highest of levels will be invaluable not just for the sprinters but for all of our student-athletes.ย Iโm thankful for the opportunity to continue to work alongside one of the best minds in the sport of track and field in Mat Clark.โ
Coaching Experience
- Track and Field/Cross Country Director of Strength & Conditioning, Arkansas (2014-2024)
- Track and Field Interim Men's Field Event Coach, Arkansas (May-June 2021)
- Track and Field Assistant Coach, K-State (2024-present)
Athlete Honors
- 2024 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame inductee
- Two-time Drake Relays decathlon Champion (2009, 2011)
- Competed in 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials
- Part of team USAย decathlon at 2010, 2011 and 2012 Thorpe Cups
- Competed in decathlon at 2009, 2010, 2017 and 2022 USA Championship
- 2009 MVC decathlon Champion & three-time All-American
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Biology, University of Northern Iowa, 2009
- Master's degree in Physical Education, University of Arkansas, 2019
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