On June 10, 2016, Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman named Evan Clark the head coach of the Illinois women's tennis team. Clark served as the program's interim coach throughout the 2015-16 season and had been with the Fighting Illini since December 2014 in an assistant role. Clark marks the eighth head coach in Illinois women's tennis program history.
Under Clark, Illinois has emerged as one of the premier programs in the Big Ten, having finished fourth or better in the conference in seven of the last eight of the program's traditional (non-COVID impacted) seasons. Illinois has finished with eight or more Big Ten victories in each of the last five seasons since COVID-19 ended the 2020 campaign. With Clark at the helm, the Illinois women’s tennis program owns a 100% graduation rate and a perfect APR score, and it has had just one player transfer out during their four-year career.
Across his time at Illinois, Clark has led the Illini to a 147-100 dual record, including a 74-36 mark in Big Ten play. Including his time as the head coach at UNC-Wilmington (31-11), Clark owns a 178-111 record overall. Clark has led the Fighting Illini to five NCAA Team Tournament appearances and was at the helm for UNCW for an appearance in 2014 as well. Since 2019, Illinois has produced three All-Americans in Asuka Kawai (2019, singles), Megan Heuser (2023, doubles), and Kate Duong (2023, doubles).
In 2024-25, Illinois posted a 15-13 overall record including an 8-5 reading in Big Ten matches and earned an at-large NCAA Team Tournament bid for the third-straight season. The Fighting Illini earned a First Round win over Arizona, advancing to the Second Round for the fifth time in program history and second time under Clark. The staff brought in the No. 16-ranked recruiting class, which included a blue-chip recruit. Two Illini earned Second Team All-Big Ten recognition (McKenna Schaefbauer, Megan Heuser) in addition to a player named to the Big Ten’s inaugural All-Freshman Team (Ariel Madatali). Illinois closed out the season at No. 32 in the final ITA rankings, the squad’s best mark of the campaign.
During his 10th season at the helm, Clark became the program’s all-time winningest head coach, surpassing the previous record of 138 victories across 11 campaigns. Additionally, Clark also became Illinois’ all-time winningest head coach against the Big Ten, topping the previous record of 68 wins across 11 seasons.
As a host of the 2025 and 2026 ITA National Team Indoor Championships, Illinois earned an automatic spot into the prestigious event field. At the 2025 event, the Illini faced three of the nation's top six ranked squads and ultimately competed against 10 top-25 ranked teams during the campaign.
In 2024, Clark and first-year associate head coach Jacob Eddins led the Illini to a 17-10 overall record, an 8-3 mark in Big Ten matches, and an at-large NCAA Team Tournament bid. Illinois earned an upset of No. 23 UCF during ITA Kickoff Weekend and moved up to No. 24 in the first computerized rankings of the season – the best rank by the Illini since the 2019 campaign.
Illinois opened the 2024 postseason with a Big Ten Women's Tennis Tournament Second Round win over 12th-seeded Rutgers. The victory allowed Illinois to make its 16th straight quarterfinal appearance – a streak that began in 2008. UI's 17 total wins marked the third-most under Clark and tied for the 10th-most in a season in program history. Three of those top 10 marks have come under Clark.
The 2023-24 campaign saw a first for Clark as he brought in his first transfer during his time at Illinois. McKenna Schaefbauer – a Normal, Illinois, native who grew up playing at Atkins Tennis Center – opted to return to her home state following her freshman season at South Carolina. Schaefbauer thrived in her first season as an Illini, posting 17 singles wins and 18 doubles victories.
After the departure of his four-year associate head coach in January, Evan Clark coached the 2023 dual season with the help of a former player in a volunteer assistant coaching role. The hurdle didn't slow Clark down as the Fighting Illini turned in a record of 18-10 (despite an injury to the team's No. 1 doubles and No. 1 singles player). UI went 8-3 in the Big Ten, including a top-25 upset at Wisconsin on April 14 - Illinois' first win over a top-25 squad since April 21, 2019.
The Illini's 18 wins tied the sixth-most in a single season in program history. UI earned the 14th appearance to the NCAA Team Tournament in program history. The last time Illinois made the NCAA Tournament as a team was the 2019 campaign. The 2023 appearance marked the third with Clark at the helm.
Additionally, Illinois saw its top doubles team of Megan Heuser and Kate Duong selected to the NCAA Doubles Championship with an at-large bid and go on to become just the second Illini duo in program history to earn All-American status. Heuser and Duong were the fifth doubles duo in Illinois program history to earn a bid into the NCAA Doubles Championships. The tandem became the highest-ranked doubles duo in Illini history at No. 7 in the ITA rankings. Additionally, Clark saw the duo become just the third Illini tandem to win an ITA regional championship crown, not to mention taking down the No. 1 ranked pair at the ITA National Fall Championships.
Individually, Ashley Yeah was tabbed the ITA Midwest Region Senior Player of the Year.
In fall 2022, Clark received his second contract extension from the University of Illinois - a three-year contract extension through 2025-26.
The 2021-22 campaign was one of growth and promise as the Illini wrapped the regular season with a 15-8 overall record and finished tied for third with an 8-3 mark in the Big Ten Conference, marking the fifth time in six seasons (excluding 2020 due to COVID-19) that the Illini have finished fourth or better in the conference standings. Illinois finished its regular-season home slate with an impressive 11-1 record, with the Illini's 11 wins ranking in a tie for the second-most wins in a home schedule in program history. The home schedule was highlighted by a 4-3 win over rival Northwestern, marking the second straight come-from-behind victory over the Wildcats on Senior Day.
In the 2020-21 season, the Illini posted a 9-9 overall record in the B1G-only season. The Illini ended the regular season with a 4-3 win over seventh-ranked Northwestern at Atkins Tennis Center. Illinois advanced to the second round of the B1G tournament following a first-round 4-3 victory over Purdue before falling in the second round to Michigan.
During the 2019-20 season, the Illini compiled a 5-9 overall record, including a 1-0 record in Big Ten play before the season was shortened due to COVID-19. Clark earned his 100th career win as the Orange and Blue defeated Eastern Illinois, 4-0.
In the 2018-19 season, the team posted a 16-12 overall record, earning three wins over top-20 programs and seven wins over top-50 opponents. The Illini advanced to the Big Ten Tournament Finals for the first time since 2001 and made the NCAA Tournament for a consecutive year.
Sophomore Asuka Kawai became the fourth Illini in program history, and first under Clark, to earn All-America honors, while Clark was named ITA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year for the second straight year. Kawai was the first individual since 2005 to qualify for the NCAA Singles Tournament, having reached the Quarterfinals and marking the best finish in program history.
The 2017-18 season was one for the record books for the Illini, as the team tied for the most wins in a single season in program history (22) and earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2012.
Other accolades included the highest ITA Team Ranking (No. 5) in program history, as well as 12 weeks in the top 25; 11 of those 12 were in the top 15 and four weeks came in the top 10. The Illini also got off to the best start in school history, accumulating a record of 19-3, earned five wins over top-25 opponents, earned a title at the Blue Gray Invitational and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
In addition to team success, junior Jaclyn Switkes earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors, while Clark was named ITA Midwest Regional Coach of the Year, as well as Big Ten Coach of the Year, just the second such award for an Illinois coach in program history and first since 1987.
Following the 2017-18 campaign, Clark and Illinois agreed to a five-year contract extension.
Illinois posted a 14-13 mark during the 2016-17 season, including a 7-4 record in Big Ten play. Louise Kwong garnered All-Big Ten honors and was one of five Fighting Illini to be named Academic All-Big Ten.
During the 2015-16 campaign, Clark oversaw the Fighting Illini turn in their most productive season since 2012. The team posted a 15-9 overall record that included an 8-3 mark in Big Ten action for fourth place and advancement to the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals. Illinois turned in a collective 41-8 record on the doubles courts across the dual season under the interim guidance of Clark.
Prior to Illinois, Clark served as the head coach of the UNC Wilmington women's team for two seasons and helped the Seahawks to the program's first Colonial Athletic Association conference championship. Clark was named the CAA's Coach of the Year and had players named both the CAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Under the direction of Clark, UNCW compiled a record of 31-11.
The University of Missouri - Kansas City graduate has also spent time with the Maryland men's team, Penn State women's team and UMKC women's team after earning his degree in 2006.
With a perfect 31-0 record, Clark took home the 2002 Missouri High School 4A State Singles Championship and was voted the Kansas City Star Tennis Male Athlete of the Year. He went on to be named First-Team All-Mid-Continent Conference following his collegiate debut season. Clark served as captain of the UMKC's men's tennis team from 2002-04. During the 2004-05 season, Clark wrapped up his collegiate career as a member of the Arkansas men's tennis program before returning to UMKC to earn his degree in psychology.
Accompanying Clark off the courts is his wife, Katelynn, as well as their son, Tripp, and daughters, Harper, Quinn and Leighton.
Updated June 2025
