Softball Head Coach Christina Sutcliffe has announced Hannah Clark as the new assistant coach. 

“Hannah brings a remarkable blend of expertise and passion to our program,” Sutcliffe said in an NIU Athletics press release. “As a former prestigious collegiate player, she knows what it takes to excel at the highest level of the game.”

Clark started her career as a collegiate player at Eastern Kentucky University where she served as a team captain for three seasons while playing as both second baseman and shortstop. Clark played in 219 games and accumulated a .311 batting average.

 In 2018, Clark earned Second Team All OVC and was added to the NISC All-Tournament Team. In 2019, Clark was the leader in home-runs and RBIs and is still the home-run leader for EKU in softball. Clark was a third team NCAA honoree, achieved First Team All OVC and was added to the All-Mideast Region Third Team in 2019. 

Clark has experience overseas with Dutch and Italian leagues. In the Italian league, Clark played professionally for New Bollate in Milan, Italy. She was in the top 5 for home runs, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and RBIs. Clark was voted the MVP for the European Cup in Milan, and was both the on-base percentage and home run leader for the Federation of Italian Softball. 

While playing with the Dutch League, Clark was a member of the Women’s European Premier Championship squad and also played third baseman. 

“Clark’s youthful energy and unwavering dedication to the sport will inspire our student-athletes to reach new heights. We are thrilled to welcome Hannah into our Huskie family, and we’re confident that her leadership will usher in an exciting era of softball excellence at NIU,” Sutcliffe said in the press release.