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Pat Clarke

Pat Clarke

The 2023-24 school year will mark the start of Pat Clarke’s eighth year in administration at Canisius College. In his current role as the Director of Athletic Facilities, Clarke has supervision of approximately 25 staff members and fiscal management for a budget nearing $1 million. His responsibilities include oversight of all campus athletic venues, club sports, recreation, intramurals, outside rentals, Division I game contracts and outside vendors that service the schools transportation needs, as well as athletic housekeeping.

Clarke has been instrumental in a number of capital improvement projects since assuming his duties in the summer of 2016, including:
  • An replacement and installation of a new turf playing surface at the Demske Sports Complex in the summer of 2023
  • New lights for the Demske Sports Complex
  • Upgrades and branding for the Demske Sports Complex press box
  • Renovation of the baseball and softball dugouts
  • Installation of a home team tailgate area
  • Refresh of the Patrick Lee Auxiliary Gym
  • Renovation of the natatorium, including cosmetic and mechanical upgrades
  • New sound system/air conditioning/baskets/branding in the Koessler Athletic Center main gym
  • Addition of a new student-athlete refueling station
  • Upgrades to the visiting team locker rooms
  • Repurpose of space in the Koessler Athletic Center as a multi-purpose room
Clarke was involved in the planning of, and now has daily coordination of, the Palisano Pavilion, the College's on-campus student fitness center, which opened in the fall of 2020.

Clarke and his staff have hosted numerous campus events, MAAC Championships and an NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship. In an effort to help with student recruitment, Clarke’s department has hosted many high school competitions, including the Section VI Baseball Championship and Monsignor Martin League Championships in baseball, basketball, soccer and lacrosse.  Additionally, he led a successful initiative to assist with student recruitment and retention through the expansion of the club sports program that has increased participation nearly 10 percent.

Prior to entering college administration, Clarke spent 17 years assisting three Division I institutions in administrative and coaching positions for their respective men's basketball programs. He began his collegiate career on the staff at St. Bonaventure for two years, which included an NCAA at-large berth and an NIT bid. He then moved to the University of Rhode Island for 11 seasons, where he was part of the coaching staff the won 184 games and earned six postseason tournament appearances. Following his tenure at URI, Clarke was an assistant coach at Canisius for four season, where the Golden Griffins earned three-straight postseason appearances.

Clarke’s more than three decades in the field of education began in 1988 at Archbishop Walsh High School in Olean, N.Y., where he served as athletic director, physical education teacher, health instructor and head coach in football, basketball, baseball and softball.

Currently an adjunct professor at Canisius in the sport administration program, Clarke also serves on the institution’s Title IX response team. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from St. Bonaventure and his master's degree in sport administration from Canisius.

Clarke has been deeply involved in community service throughout his life, primarily with Special Olympics and most recently, with FeedMore WNY and coaching youth sports. He is married to the former Kristin Snyder, a 1990 St. Bonaventure graduate, who is tied as the Bonnies' women's soccer program's all-time leading goal scorer. They are the proud parents of three children, Maura, Molly and Michael.