2000 & 1996 PSAC-West “Coach of the Year”
1996 AFCA Region 1 "Coach of the Year"
Malen Luke - Head Coach
Malen Luke, 51, an experienced and highly
successful head football coach, was named Clarion's 10th head coach on December
28, 1993, and begins his 11th season at Clarion.
A dedicated, hard-working and fiercely competitive coach,
Malen's teams always provide Golden Eagle football fans with an aggressive,
disciplined and high-powered style.
In ten years Luke's Golden Eagles have posted a 51-58 overall
record, a 27-33 PSAC-West mark and have averaged nearly 30ppg and 400+ yards of
offense over that time.
Luke’s top seasons came in 2000 and 1996. In 2000 Clarion was
7-4 overall and became PSAC-West champs for the 10th time since 1966 with a 5-1
league mark. Luke was rewarded by being named the PSAC-West “Coach of the Year”
by his peers.
In 1996 Luke led the Golden Eagles to an 11-3 overall record
and a 5-1 mark in the PSAC-West. Clarion won the PSAC-West and NCAA East Region
titles and advanced to the NCAA “Final Four” before losing in the final seconds
to Northern Colorado, who went on to win the NCAA National Championship. The
Golden Eagles ended the season ranked 8th in the final NCAA Division II Poll and
were awarded the Lambert Cup in February 1997 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Luke was voted AFCA Region 1 and PSAC-West “Coach of the Year” in 1996.
Malen directed Clarion to a 7-4 record in 2002, 6-4 in 1995,
4-6 in 1994, 4-7 in 2001, 3-7 in 1999 and 97 and 3-8 in 1998. Malen's 16-year
collegiate record is 88-79, a 53% winning rate.
"I love Clarion and continue to be excited to be the head
football coach here,” stated Luke. “Clarion has an outstanding academic and
athletic reputation, along with the leadership and commitment to stay on top.
Clarion has a tremendous football product and is rich in football tradition. I'm
honored to be the head coach here and will work hard to continue that
tradition."
Luke came to Clarion from The Defiance College in Defiance,
Ohio, where he was 37-21 in six years. He turned around a losing program, which
was 8-27-1 in the four years prior to his arrival.
After using 1988 and 89 to rebuild, Luke led his team to a 7-3 mark in 1990 and
was named NAIA District 22 "Coach of the Year". In 1991 Defiance moved to NCAA
Division III and his team improved to an 8-2 record. His final two seasons (1992
& 93) saw Luke's teams forge 9-1 records. The 1992 squad ranked 6th in the North
Region, while 1993's team ranked 5th in the North Region. Defiance narrowly
missed the NCAA Division III Playoffs both seasons. Luke's record those final
four years was an incredible 33-7, a winning percentage of 82.5%. His 37 career
wins at Defiance remain as a school record today.
A native of Wellsboro, Pa., Malen attended Wellsboro High and
was an outstanding three-sport athlete. He lettered in football, track and
basketball.
Graduating from Wellsboro in 1972, Luke attended Westminster
College and was graduated in 1976 with a B.S. Degree in Mathematics. Malen moved
on to teach Math at Canfield High (Oh.) from 1976-80. During that time he was
the offensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, plus coached track.
An assistant coach at Edinboro from 1981-83, Malen coached
the defensive backs and helped the Fighting Scots to a #11 ranking in 1982 and a
#13 ranking in 1983 with records of 9-1 and 8-2 respectively. He also earned his
Masters Degree in 1982 in Guidance and Counseling.
Luke moved on to coach defensive backs at Youngstown State
under Bill Narduzzi from 1984-85, was guest coach in the Summer of 1986 with the
CFL Edmonton Eskimos, a part-time coach tutoring defensive backs at Kent State
in 1986, and the defensive coordinator at Bethany College in 1987 before going
to Defiance.
Malen, wife Hedy, son Brock and daughter Quinn reside in Shippenville, Pa.
LUKE’S COLLEGIATE COACHING CAREER
YEAR SCHOOL RECORD PSAC-WEST PLACE NCAA
2003 Clarion 3-8 2-4
4th -
2002 Clarion 7-4 3-3
4th -
2001 Clarion 4-7 2-4
5th -
2000 Clarion 7-4 5-1
1st -
1999 Clarion 3-7 2-4
4th -
1998 Clarion 3-8 1-5
6th -
1997 Clarion 3-7 2-4
4th -
1996 Clarion 11-3 5-1
1st Final Four
1995 Clarion 6-4 3-3
4th -
1994 Clarion 4-6 2-4
4th -
10-YEARS Clarion 51-58 27-33 *2 *1
*- Titles Won- PSAC-West; NCAA East Region
YEAR SCHOOL RECORD % REGION RANK
1993 Defiance 9-1 90.0% 5th
1992 Defiance 9-1 90.0% 6th
1991 Defiance 8-2 80.0% -
1990 Defiance 7-3 70.0% -
1989 Defiance 3-6 33.3% -
1988 Defiance 1-8 11.1% -
6-YEARS Defiance 37-21 63.8% *2
*- Final Season Rankings
TOTAL YEARS OVERALL RECORD %
16-YEARS 88-79 52.6%