Like his ability to create team chemistry, Clark’s penchant for making influential game-time decisions stems from his love of soccer and dedication to studying it.

“He is very good at making decisions on the fly, whether it’s changing around players or changing formations,” Grimm said.

Clark was rewarded for his efforts when Harvard won the Ivy title, earned the 10th seed in the NCAA tournament, and made it to the Sweet 16 this past fall—his second season at the helm. For the coach, the success was a case of déjà vu.

Two years before, he had guided Notre Dame to the 10th seed in the NCAA tournament in his second season there. When Clark left for the Crimson, he took a slight step back in his first season, leading Harvard to the second round of the NCAA tournament. But for the Crimson, the season represented a step up, as the team had only made it to the first round the year before.

And the team’s final ranking doesn’t even tell the whole story. When Harvard took on then-No. 3 Wake Forest, it held the Demon Deacons to a 1-0 victory in a contest where the host team was only able to register three more shots than the Crimson. Harvard was also only outshot by three in its final loss of the season to Maryland. In both contests, Clark guided Harvard to play beyond its ranking. He had trust in his players’ abilities, and they gave him reason to believe.

—Staff writer Christina C. McClintock can be reached at ccmcclin@fas.harvard.edu.