Sean Clark, the top assistant swimming & diving coach the past two seasons at Binghamton, has been hired as its head coach. He replaces Patrice Back, who stepped down on May 18 to accept a full-time teaching position at the university.

With Clark as its top assistant coach, the men's swimming & diving team has earned runner-up honors at the past two America East Conference Championships. Back, Clark and diving coach Anna Tutunikova were named the conference's Men's Co-Coaching Staff of the Year this past season. During the same two-year span, the women's team has won a pair of individual conference titles.

"Sean's credentials were solid and he had a great deal of support from our returning athletes," Binghamton Athletic Director Joel Thirer said. "I'm confident that he will continue to provide the same level of excellent leadership that our swim teams have had in recent years."

"I am ready to work hard for the talented student-athletes here at Binghamton," Clark said. "I hope to continue our recent success in the pool and in the classroom and I am very proud to represent the university."

Clark's coaching experience, however, extends well beyond his time at Binghamton. He was the lead assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts from 1999-04. During his tenure, the Minutemen won the Atlantic-10 Conference title four times. They also had their first national qualifier in 2001.

At the head coaching level, Clark also comes well prepared. Of his five previous head coaching positions, the two most significant were at South Hadley High School (during the 1995-96 and 1999-00 seasons) and with the Amherst Tritans Club Team (2000-03). Under Clark's leadership, South Hadley won the 1996 women's division title. As the head coach of the Tritans, Clark was at the helm of a program with over 120 swimmers.

Clark is a 1993 graduate of Massachusetts where he earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry.