The University of Arkansas at Monticello Head Men’s Basketball Coach Chad Tapp announced the hiring of Rodney Clarke as the newest member of the Weevils coaching staff. Clarke comes to Monticello after a 4 year stint at Lynn Camp High School in Kentucky, where he coached girls and boys basketball from 2019-2023.
Before Lynn Camp, the Mobile, Alabama native had a successful 2018-19 season at Talladega College, going 24-8 and making an appearance in the National Tournament.
In 2017-18, he served as an assistant coach at Lake Superior State, where the Lakers posted a 25-8 overall record and were the runner-up in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, earning them a trip to the Division II NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the Midwest Region Semifinals before falling to eventual national champion Ferris State. Clarke was also ranked at number #24 on the list of Top 25 NCAA D2 Assistant Coaches by CoachStat.net in 2018.
Prior to his time at LSSU, Clarke served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of the Cumberlands, for four seasons (2013-17). While at the Cumberlands, Clarke was instrumental in the Patriots making a 2016 NAIA Elite, along with earning two NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 appearances.
During his four seasons at the Cumberlands, the program qualified for four consecutive national tournaments while registering an 89-44 overall record. In 2017 he was ranked number #9 on Top 25 Assistant Coaches at Small Colleges by CoachStat.net.
Clarke started his playing career at Golden West Community College in Huntington Beach, California where he led the team in scoring at almost 15.6 points per game. After one season there, he attended the University of the Cumberlands, where he was a two year captain. He started every game for three consecutive years, helping the Patriots qualify for the NAIA National Tournament in each of those seasons.
Clarke earned both a Bachelor of Science in Movement Leisure Studies and a Master of Business Administration from the University of the Cumberlands.
Coach Clarke joins us with his family, Krystal and Maverick Clarke.
“Rodney is exactly what we have needed here,” said Coach Tapp. “He is a relentless recruiter and will have the respect of the players on and off the floor. Our program has gotten a lot better with his addition.”
