Carly Clarke was named the Head Coach of the Rams women's basketball team in June of 2012.
In the summer of 2022, Clarke served as head coach for the U23 women's national team at the international GLOBL JAM FIVES competition, held at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, home of the Rams.
The 2021-22 season was historic for Clarke, leading the Rams to an undefeated season, culminating in an OUA and U SPORTS national title. The team went 14-0 through conference play, then concluded the OUA season with a 22-point fourth quarter comeback to claim the Critelli Cup for the program's second provincial title. The team was ranked No. 1 heading into the Final 8 national championship, and the Rams defeated UPEI, Brock, and Winnipeg en route to the team's first national championship and only the second for any team at the university. Clarke was recognized with her first conference and national awards, winning the OUA Coach of the Year and U SPORTS Coach of the Year awards. At the end of the season, she was also named the OUA Coach of the Year across all sports.
In the summer of 2021 Clarke became an Olympian, serving as an assistant coach with the Canadian women's senior national team in Tokyo. The Canadians finished ninth at the event. Clarke remains with the national program as the team works towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In 2019-20, Clarke led her team to yet another impressive season, chalking up an 18-4 record as well as reaching the OUA Championship game and the 2020 U SPORTS women's basketball Final 8 national championship.
The 2018-19 season was certainly a special one for Clarke and the Rams as the team would qualify for the playoffs for a 12th consecutive season before playing host to the 2019 U SPORTS women's basketball Final 8 national championship, finishing fifth at the tournament.
The 2016-17 season saw Ryerson go through a slight rebuilding year, after three of the best Rams to ever lace-up in blue and gold, graduated. However, Clarke refused to let that affect their team mantra: #ChampionsMindset. Through strong recruiting which lead to the arrival of 5th-year impact transfer guard, Kellie Ring, and a recruiting class that brought in two OUA all-rookie forwards, Clarke led her Rams to their 10th consecutive playoff appearance.
As head coach the Canadian U19 Junior Women's National Team, Clarke led the squad to its first ever medal at the World Cup, claiming the bronze medal with a victory over Japan in July of 2017.
Clarke guided the Rams to a record setting season in 2015-16, tying a program-best 16 conference victories before winning the first OUA championship in Ryerson history. The Rams also became the first Ryerson team, in any sport, to appear in a national championship final where they finished with the silver medal. The Rams were nationally ranked in all 13 Top Ten polls and peaked at the No. 2 position in early January to mark the highest ever ranking for the program.
In 2014-15, Clarke led the Rams to a program-best 16 victories for a 16-3 record, winning the OUA silver medal and qualifying for the CIS Final 8 championship for the first time.
In her second season with Ryerson, Clarke and the Rams posted an 9-13 record while making the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Ryerson's season was ended with a heartbreaking 69-66 loss to the University of Toronto in the OUA playoffs.
Prior to joining the Rams, Clarke spent three seasons in the head coaching position at UPEI. The Halifax, N.S. native and Level III NCCP certified coach has garnered both national and international accolades working with Canada Basketball as well as various provincial sport organizations.
Clarke won silver as she led the Canada's U18 women's junior national team to a 4-0 record before dropping the gold medal game to team USA at the 2016 FIBA Americas tournament in Valdivia, Chile.
In 2015 as head coach of the Canadian Cadette Women's National Team, Canada struck gold at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women which marked the first championship for Canada in the age division.
In 2014, Clarke led Canada to a sixth place finish at the U17 FIBA World Championship for Women in Pilsen, Czech Republic losing to Australia in the fifth place game.
The year before that, Clarke led the Canadians to a silver medal at the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women.
In 2012, Canada, with Clarke at the helm, captured a bronze medal at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She also guided the squad to a bronze medal finish at the 2011 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, which qualified the team for the World Championship.
Clarke served as an apprentice coach with Canada Basketball's National Elite Development Academy (NEDA) in Hamilton in 2008-09 before becoming the Head Coach of the National Female Centre for Performance in Charlottetown, P.E.I. She was appointed Head Coach of the Nova Scotia training centre from 2007 to 2008 and led the Nova Scotia 15U girls provincial team to fourth place at the 2008 national championship.
As an athlete, Clarke played five seasons with Bishop's where she guided the Gaiters to a QSSF championship and fifth-place finish at the CIS Final 8 in 2004. The former academic all-Canadian, who completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology, also topped the nation in 2004 in three-point field-goal shooting percentage.
Following her playing career, Clarke became the lead assistant coach at Dalhousie from 2006 to 2008 where she also earned a Master's in Business Administration. She helped the Tigers to a fourth-place finish at the CIS Final 8 in 2007.
