EUREKA, Ill. – James Clark has been named the new baseball head coach at Eureka College, according to an announcement from Director of Athletics Paul Bryant on Tuesday. A native of Victoria, Ill., Clark was formerly the baseball head coach at Spoon River College in Canton, Ill. and was a four-year NCAA Division III baseball student-athlete at Knox College.

"I am pleased to welcome James Clark as our new baseball head coach," Bryant said. "Coach Clark has shown tremendous promise as a young collegiate head coach and we’re excited for the energy and dedication he will bring to continue the improvement made by our baseball program."

Clark comes to Eureka after coaching at NJCAA Division II Spoon River for the last two seasons. He inherited a team in August 2009 that was winless during the 2009 season, eventually guiding Spoon River to five wins in 2010 and eight victories in 2011. During his two years as head coach, Clark led Spoon River to victories over traditional junior college powers John Wood and Illinois Central.

In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, Clark was the first-base coach for the Quincy Gems of the summer collegiate Prospect League in 2011. Clark helped the Gems to a 40-18 overall record and a league championship.

Clark’s father, John, is the baseball head coach at ROWVA High School in Oneida, Ill. and the Oneida American Legion squad. James began his baseball coaching career at the age of 16, assisting his father at Williamsfield Middle School. As a college student at Knox, James coached alongside his father with the junior and senior Oneida American Legion teams.

Clark graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, Ill. in 2009 with a B.A. in economics and was a four-year member of the Prairie Fire’s baseball team. He was a three-time qualifier for the Midwest Conference’s Academic All-Conference Team from 2007 through 2009 and helped Knox to a Midwest Conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division III national regional in 2008.

"I am very excited to take over the Eureka baseball program," Clark said on Tuesday. "I am grateful to Director of Athletics Paul Bryant and the rest of the athletics staff for their faith in me. I know I have big shoes to fill, but I plan to build upon the solid foundation that Coach Gerdes left for me. I look forward to leading the Red Devils to new heights."

Clark takes over for Eureka College athletics Hall of Famer Craig Gerdes, who retired last spring after two seasons as head coach.