Chad Harris, a native of Hot Springs, Ark., is currently in hissixth year as the head baseball coach at Clarke University. In his time at Clarke, Harris has taken a team which only won seven games total in 2008 to a program with back to back 20 win seasons and just a couple of wins away from a conference title in 2011.

In 2010, Clarke posted 22 victories, just one win shy of equaling the program's record for wins in a season.

In 2009, Harris' squad more than doubled the win total from the previous year, going 18-30. The Crusaders improved in almost every statistical category in 2009. In 2008, Clarke managed only 11 home runs the entire season. In 2009, the Crusadersmore than tripled that number by hitting 35 home runs as a team. The Crusaders raised their batting average from .239 in 2008 to a respectable .294 in 2009. On the mound, the Crusaders also showed major improvement by dropping their team ERA by almost two full runs.

The 2009 year also included a huge win for the baseball squad as they defeated NCAA Division I Western Illinois University. The win came just week after Western defeated the University of Iowa and just a few weeks after Western defeated Oklahoma State University.

Harris and his staff are working hard to get the Clarke baseball program to national scene.

"We're no longer satisfied just competing within our conference," says Harris. "We went through a couple of years of growing pains but hopefully we have reached a point where we will consistently be in the hunt for a conference title."

Before Clarke University, Harris was a five-year assistant coach at Division III University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas. In his time at Ozarks, the program saw the team's most success in more than 10 seasons, having set numerous team records, along with individual hitting and pitching records. Two players Harris coached at Ozarks went on to play professional baseball. In addition to his pitching coach duties, Harris served as the head coach for the Ozarks' junior varsity team, along with serving as the head coach for the Oklahoma Kubs in the Sooner Collegiate League, a summer collegiate league based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. As recruiting coordinator at Ozarks, Harris coached four ESPN the Magazine Academic All-Americans.

Harris earned his master of science degree in administrative studies with emphasis in sport management from Missouri State University.

Harris played his collegiate ball at the University of the Ozarks for two years, where he received Academic All-Conference honors in 2000, while graduating with a bachelor of science degree in social science.

Prior to Ozarks, Harris pitched for the nationally ranked North Arkansas College Pioneers while earning his associate of arts degree.

Clarke Baseball Season Win-Loss Records Under Harris

2007 - 11-20 (NCAA D-III Independent)

2008 - 7-39 (5-19 MCC, First Year in the NAIA and MCC)

2009 - 18-30 (9-15 MCC)

2010 - 22-19 (8-14 MCC)

2011 - 20 -20 (15-9 MCC, finish tied for 2^nd)

Brian Solemsaas, of Bismarck, N.D., is in his first year as an assistant baseball coach at Clarke. He comes to Clarke after spending two years as a volunteer assistant for the Southern Illinois University baseball team. Prior to SIU, Brian played middle infield and pitched at Upper Iowa University in Fayette from 2004-2009, in which he was named a captain his senior year. During his playing days for the Peacocks, he earned Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Academic All-Conference twice, 2^nd Team All-Conference Pitcher, and Men's Honor Student-Athlete honors. Off the field he served as the vice-president (2006-08) and president (2008-09) of UIU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Make-A-Wish Events Coordinator, and a student leader for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Brian earned his bachelor of science degree in Wellness/Fitness from Upper Iowa in 2009 and recently received his master of science degree in education/kinesiology specializing in sport psychology and sport management from SIU in 2011. Along with his duties for the baseball team, he will also be working at Target and giving private baseball lessons to the area youth.

Coach Harris on Brian Solemsaas: "Coach Saas has taken the natural career progression to get himself to this point which involves sacrifice coupled with passion. After his playing career, he went straight into getting his master's degree and becoming a volunteer assistant coach at the NCAA Division I level, while also coaching summer ball. He comes to Clarke highly recommended by the SIU coaching staff and his former coach at Upper Iowa. He has already earned an enormous amount of respect from our players and our pitching staff is as prepared as they have ever been."

Dan Spain, of Delmar, Iowa, is in his third year as an assistant baseball coach at Clarke, one of which as a student assistant. He came to Clarke as a senior transfer and completed his degree in education in the spring of 2010. Last year, Spain shuffled his time between his duties as a baseball coach, substitute teacher and also working on his family farm back home.

Since coming to Clarke, Spain has had a major impact on the program's success. Starting every game at shortstop, he compiled an average of .331 and was considered one of the leaders of the team. Since becoming an assistant, Spain has dedicated his time as the hitting coach and most recently was promoted to head Junior Varsity coach and also as the recruiting coordinator. As the recruiting coordinator, he will focus on junior college transfers and also Dubuque area high school players. In his first recruiting class, Spain has managed to bring in one of Clarke's most talented freshman classes, including three of the area's most talented high school seniors.

Coach Harris on Spain: "Coach Spain has worked his way into becoming a valuable member of this staff. He brings enthusiasm and an energy to the program which the players feed off of. He also brings a lot of local connections to the Clarke program for recruiting and has already shown a great ability to relate to current and prospective student-athletes."