Marcus Clarke joined the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) as a Senior Associate Commissioner in 2015 after serving as the Director of Athletics at Shaw University.
He currently has oversight of CIAA business and championship operations, and is tasked with the overall management of the Men's and Women's Championship Basketball Tournament.
Clarke originally arrived at Shaw as a Director of Compliance of 2002 and he also had a stint in 2009 as Interim Athletic Director before being officially named Athletic Director in 2013.
“I am thrilled to have Marcus become a part of the staff,” said CIAA Commissioner Jacqie McWilliams in 2015. “He is no stranger to the family and he will be a great asset in moving the conference through its strategic vision.”
During his time at Shaw, Clarke played a major role with over 30 CIAA Championship teams and one NCAA National Championship team.
“I’ve been fortunate,” Clarke said. “I’ve had the chance to do a number of things, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of a lot of successful teams and programs.”
In 2021, Clarke was appointed to the NCAA Division II Management Council, which reports directly to the Presidents Council, tasked with recommending administrative policy and regulations that govern the division. Clarke also serves on the NCAA Division II Championships Committee, which is responsible for administering policies and procedures surrounding the division’s 25 championships. Clarke has served as the President of the CIAA Director of Athletics and first Vice-President of the CIAA Management Council. He has chaired numerous CIAA sports committees and also served on the NCAA Division II Committee for Legislative Relief.
After serving in the U.S. Army as a medic from 1983-1986, Clarke began his collegiate career in athletics in 1992 as the head athletics trainer at Virginia Union University. He later assumed the positions of head track & field and cross country coach and the compliance director.
Clarke was born and raised in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. In 1996, he served as the athletic trainer for the British Virgin Islands Olympic team, and was responsible for the care and injury prevention of the track & field athletes in the delegation. Clark lives in Charlotte with his wife Sabrina and their two children Marissa (daughter) and Maurice (son).