Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2017
- Class:
- 1995
In his four years at Richmond, Tom Clarke always played No. 1 singles, and he led the Spiders to the number one spot in the Colonial Athletic Association. Prior to his arrival in 1991, Richmond men's tennis had never won a conference title. Clarke led the Spiders to three CAA championships (1992, 93, 95).
He left his mark on Richmond men's tennis from the beginning of his storied career until the end. He was named the CAA's Most Outstanding Player his freshman season, when he was ranked as high as 40th in the nation. He completed his career by earning another CAA Most Outstanding Player Award as a senior, when he compiled a 21-2 record in singles, with victories over players from schools such as Virginia, Virginia Tech, VCU, Wake Forest, NC State, Princeton and Yale. He was also named CAA Most Outstanding Player in 1993.
Clarke led the Spiders to two team wins over the University of Virginia, the only time in program history that Richmond had defeated the Cavaliers in men's tennis. He was later honored as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association's 25th Anniversary All-Time Men's Tennis Team.
