Eagles Baseball Coaches
Head Coach: Jimmy Clark (10th season)
Jimmy Clark
Jimmy Clark is in his fifth year as Athletic Director and tenth year as head baseball coach. Clark, a native of Conway and a former standout at the University of Central Arkansas, was named the 2005 American Southwest Conference East Division Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to their first winning season in nearly a decade. Clark's 2007 club earned a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1996. During the 2007 season, Ozarks won their first-round series and advanced to the championship round of the ASC tournament. It was the program's first-ever appearance in the four-team championship round. The 2008 team went 32-11, the best record in school history, and made its second straight playoff appearance. Pitcher Curt Dixon was named Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week during the 2008 season. Dixon signed with the Sioux City Explorers following the season. Clark brought instant credibility to the program his first season, having defeated all but one team in the American Southwest Conference East Division. That success has carried off the field as well as Clark has coached five players on the prestigious Academic All-America team during his tenure and numerous others on the ABCA/Rawlings All-Region team. He also had the conference's Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2003.
Prior to Ozarks, Clark coached at Class AAA powerhouse Heber Springs High School for nine years where he was named the 2AAA Conference Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1998. In nine years, Clark compiled a record of 155-100 (.600), and the Panthers won three conference titles and a regional title. Clark was a four-year starter at the University of Central Arkansas at various positions, including first base, pitcher, outfield and designated hitter. After finishing his collegiate career, Clark became an academic advisor at University of Arkansas-Little Rock. Clark earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from UCA and his master's degree in secondary education from UALR.
Clark's coaching philosophy emphasizes pitching and defense. To be successful in baseball at any level, you must have pitchers who consistently throw strikes and change location and speed, Clark said. Combine that with error-free defense and you are in a position to win, whether you're hitting or not. The type of student-athletes that I plan to recruit at Ozarks are ones who are versatile; players who can run and throw and hustle from the time he steps on the field. They must be self-motivated to work hard on their school work and work hard on their baseball skills. I want to surround myself with people who have very high expectations for themselves and who are willing to work hard to achieve those goals. Our goals here at the U of O are to win the ASC Championships, qualify for the regional tournament, and win the school's first national championship.
Assistant Coach: Robert Mummey (3rd season)
rmummey@ozarks.edu
Robert Mummey is in his third season as an assistant coach. Mummey started for Ozarks during the 2008 season and earned All-Conference honors. Mummey was among the team’s top hitters as the starting first baseman, ranking third on the team in homers (12) and fourth in RBI (46). Mummey’s .585 slugging percentage placed him fifth on the team and his 76 total bases placed him sixth. Mummey also saw action at third base and on the mound. His steady glove in the field produced a .978 fielding percentage. The Flower Mound, Texas, native played two seasons at Cedar Valley College in Texas where he helped the team to a third-place conference finish his sophomore campaign. He graduated from Ozarks with a degree in physical education.