NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University Athletics Director Marty Miller announced Tuesday that interim women's basketball coach Debra Clark has been named to the permanent head coaching position and has agreed to a four-year contract through the 2013-14 season.

“Coach Clark has done a good job with the team that she inherited,” Miller said. “I like the dedication and work ethic that she helped instill in our players. Coach Clark has had an excellent recruiting period and I feel she can help elevate our program within the conference.”

“I am very excited that the administration has confidence in me to continue to lead the women's basketball program,” Clark said. “I felt we made great strides this season, and with the addition of the recruiting class joining us in the fall, the future of the program is very bright.”

Clark and assistant coaches Lashondra Dixon-Gordon and Kenny Edwards led the Spartans to a 4-23 overall record in 2009-10, a three-win improvement over the previous season. Clark signed four players in the November signing period and is expecting more commitments in the spring period, which begins on Wednesday.

Prior to NSU, Clark served as head coach at Florida A&M from 2001-08 and at Winston-Salem State from 1994-2001. Clark's teams at FAMU made three MEAC Tournament semifinals appearances in her seven seasons. At WSSU, Clark advanced to the CIAA Tournament semifinals four times. She was named the CIAA Coach of the Year after the 1995-96 season.

Clark served as an assistant women's basketball coach under James Sweat at NSU from 1987-94, helping the Spartans win three CIAA titles and make three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament in the early 1990s.

Clark earned her bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Hampton in 1984, and her master's in sports administration from Penn State in 1986.