When Tyler Simms became the Clark men’s basketball coach in 2019, he took over a program that had won just five games the season before. Still, his aphorism for recruits, “16 NCAA Tournaments, 6 Elite Eights, 2 Final Fours,” reflected Clark’s pedigree as a longtime Division 3 power. “Our goal was to build on that,” Simms said. Under Simms, the Cougars, who won the NEWMAC tourney championship in 2024-25, brought the NCAA appearance total to 17 and restored Clark’s winning tradition.