The College of Lake County has officially named Hannah Clark as the new Head Softball Coach and Operations & Event Coordinator. With a strong background as a collegiate athlete, international professional, and NCAA Division I staff member, Clark is set to bring a new era of energy, excellence, and leadership to the Lancers softball program.

"I'm incredibly honored to be named the next head softball coach and event coordinator at the College of Lake County," Clark said. "This program has a strong foundation, and I'm excited to build on that with a culture of hard work, passion, and accountability. I'm committed to helping these student-athletes grow not only on the field, but also in the classroom and in life."

Clark arrives at CLC after serving two seasons on staff at Northern Illinois University. Prior to her time at NIU, she enjoyed a decorated international playing career in both the Dutch and Italian professional leagues. As a third baseman in the Dutch league, she was part of the Women's European Premier Championship squad. In the Italian Federation, she emerged as one of the league's most dominant offensive forces, ranking in the top five in home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, while earning MVP honors at the European Cup in Milan. She also led the Italian league in home runs and on-base percentage.

"I want to sincerely thank Athletic Director Bradley Unger for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this program and be a part of the CLC family," said Clark. "I'm incredibly grateful for the trust and support, and I'm committed to honoring that by giving this program my absolute best every single day."

As a collegiate player, Clark starred at Eastern Kentucky University where she was a three-year team captain and key contributor at both second base and shortstop. Over the course of 219 games, she compiled a .311 batting average and remains the program's all-time leader in career home runs. Her accolades include 2019 NCAA Third Team honors, First Team All-OVC, and All-Mideast Region Third Team selections. She was also named to the NISC All-Tournament Team in 2018.

"We're proud to welcome Coach Clark to the Lancer family," said Bradley Unger, Director of Athletics at College of Lake County. "Her background as a high-level student-athlete and international competitor brings a championship mindset and a standard of excellence that will elevate our program. Her leadership, experience, and passion for developing young women will make a lasting impact on our student-athletes and the culture of Lancers Softball."

A native of Lakewood, California, Clark holds a bachelor's degree in Middle-Grade Education from Eastern Kentucky University and a master's degree in School Counseling: Crisis and Trauma from Walden University. Clark will assume her duties on July 21, and will look to build upon the Lancers' foundation as the program prepares for the upcoming season.