Bio

Deron Clark played collegiately for the Paris Junior College Dragons from 1982-83 / 1983-84 under Head Coach Larry Click.  Following time at PJC, Clark moved to John Brown University and graduated in 1986.  Following JBU, Clark moved to Fayetteville, AR, and became a graduate assistant for the Arkansas Razorbacks and head coach Norm DeBryin for the 1987 and 88 seasons. 

Deron joined Northwood University in Dallas (Assistant Baseball Coach; 1988-91), San Jacinto College in Houston (Assistant Baseball Coach; 1991-94), Texarkana College, Texarkana, TX (Head Baseball Coach / Athletic Director; 1994-1997) and then returned to Paris Junior College, Paris, TX (Head Baseball Coach / Athletic Director; 1997-2016). Deron holds a Master's degree from the University of Arkansas in Biomechanics and a Bachelor's of Science in Education from John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR.

Coach Clark joined New Mexico Junior College in July 2016. During this 9-year period, the athletic program has earned 16 National Championships along with 17 National Runners-Up, Runners-up.

NMJC has also hosted the NJCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May of 2019, 2023 and this spring in 2026 as well as the Men’s Division I Golf Championship in the spring of 2024.  NMJC will also host the 2027 Women’s Division 1 Golf Championship.   Along with the hosting opportunities, NMJC has added four sports to the athletic agenda including volleyball, men's cross country and men's track and field and women’s golf. These additions have all seen immediate success as the volleyball team earned a trip to the WJCAC Conference Tournament championship game in 2021 and 2022 along with a WJCAC conference championship in 2022. 

The 2023-24 competition year posted NMJC as the 3^rd best athletic program in the national competition of the Ron Case / Daktronics Cup Series which identifies the most successful athletic program in the nation including California and the NWAC (Washington, Oregon and Idaho). The 2022-23 seasons also pushed NMJC to earn a fourth-place finish in the national competition. NMJC has finished in the top 10 of this award for the last 5 years.

NMJC has received several athletic upgrades. The volleyball, men's and women's basketball facilities (Caster Activity Center) underwent a 17.5-million-dollar renovation during 2020-21 that included a lobby video wall, video score table, updated locker rooms, track team lounge, academic study lounge and updated Hall of Fame showcase area.  Along with the upgrades to Caster Activity Center, NMJC is completed a new 12,000 square foot, 1.5 million-dollar, indoor golf facility with putting surfaces, four driving bays with video analysis equipment and 2 Track Man video automated performance labs. Ross Black Track received a 1.5 million-dollar upgrade in preparation of hosting the 2023 NJCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Deron joined the NMJC staff following a 28-year baseball coaching / Athletic Director career that included stops at Northwood University in Dallas (Assistant Baseball Coach; 1988-91), San Jacinto College in Houston (Assistant Baseball Coach; 1991-94), Texarkana College, Texarkana, TX (Head Baseball Coach / Athletic Director; 1994-1997) and Paris Junior College, Paris, TX (Head Baseball Coach / Athletic Director; 1997-2016). Deron holds a Master's degree from the University of Arkansas in Biomechanics and a Bachelor's of Science in Education from John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR.

Deron and his wife, Saundra, of 41 years have two children, Katie (36) and Jake (30), and two grandchildren, Nolan and Hudson. Katie is a Captain in the Army stationed at Ft Lewis in Tacoma, WA, and is married to son-in-law, Ramson, who is a Deputy Sheriff for Thurston County in Washington State. Their son Jake is an Army veteran and is a firefighter for the Irving Fire Department.  He and his wife Chandler live in Krum, TX. 

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15 Years as an NJCAA Director of Athletics: 3 with Texarkana College (95-97); 3 with Paris Junior College (14-16) and now 9 with New Mexico Junior College.

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• Member of the 1982-83 and 1983-84 baseball teams under the leadership of Larry Click
• Graduate Assistant for the University of Arkansas in 1987 and 1988, earning a birth to the NCAA College World Series in 1987
• Assistant Coach at Northwood University in Cedar Hill, TX 1988-1991
• Assistant Coach San Jacinto College, 1991-1994
• Head Baseball Coach / Director of Athletics 1994-1997
• Joined the PJC staff in June of 1997
• Became the Director of Athletics / Head Baseball Coach for Paris Junior College in 2013
• Represented PJC in the Region XIV Baseball Tournament, 9 of 19 seasons.
• Player graduation rate of 82.3%
• Managed 6 MLB players over a 28-year career.
• Head Coach Baseball Coaching Record 577 – 563, earning his 500^th victory as a Dragon in April of 2013
• Became the Director of Athletics for New Mexico Junior College in 2016
• 16 National Championships in 9 years
• 17 National Runners-Up in 9 years
• 24 million dollars in athletic renovations and new construction in 9 years
• Added 4 new athletic programs in 9 years
• NJCAA Board of Regents member for Region 5
• Sits on the NJCAA Eligibility Committee
• Western Junior College Athletic Conference - Baseball Chair