The second-longest tenured coach on the University of Mary staff behind head coach Myron Schulz,Chris Clements will start his 16th season with Marauders football this fall. In his 14 years coaching and two playing, U-Mary's enjoyed 12 winning seasons, eight playoff appearances and five conference titles.
A linebacker for the Marauders in 1994 and 1995, Clements served as team captain on U-Mary's final four team as a senior. In 1996, he joined the Marauders coaching staff as the outside linebackers coach.
In 1999, Clements moved to defensive line coach for a U-Mary squad that compiled the nation's number one rush defense and total defense as the Marauders again advanced to the NAIA semifinals. He spent the 2000 season as defensive coordinator for New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM, of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference before returning to U-Mary in 2001 to coach outside linebackers.
A native of Angels Camp, CA, Clements earned all-state honors at running back and linebacker at Bret Harte High School as a senior. He played for his father, Hal, who served as head football coach for 24 years and is the current track and field coach for 40 years running.
After graduation, Clements attended Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo but suffered a major knee injury in the Northern California Lions High School All-Star game prior to arriving on campus. After completing his rehabilitation, he re-injured the knee during spring ball. Clements then transferred to Modesto Junior College for two seasons where he earned first team All-Coast Conference honors at linebacker. Honored as a member of the MJC all-decade teams for the 1990s, Clements then transferred to U-Mary.
Clements earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and a master's degree in secondary education from U-Mary. Since 2001, Clements has taught physical education at Simle Middle School in Bismarck, ND. Clements' wife, Jamelle, is also a U-Mary graduate and one of the all-time Marauders women's basketball assist leaders. The couple has two sons, Crede and Rhett, and one daughter, Julia.
