Cara (Clark) LaPlaca - Hall of Fame Class 2019

Cara LaPlaca made her mark at Clarke as both a student-athlete and as a head softball coach.  LaPlaca guided Clarke’s softball program from 2002 through 2007.  In 2003, the Crusaders made a first-ever NCAA tournament berth, claimed the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Championship and won a school record 27 games.  The program made it back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances the following season.

LaPlaca’s program had five consecutive 20-plus win seasons and four out of the six years the team was ranked in the top 25 nationally in GPA by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.  During LaPlaca’s tenure, Clarke produced 28 All-Conference honorees, six NFCA All Region honorees, and one Conference Player of the Year. 

LaPlaca was a 2007 NCAA Association of Division III Independents Coach of the Year runner-up and was named the NIIC Conference Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2004.

On the softball diamond, LaPlaca was a two-time, first-team Northern Illinois - Iowa Conference All-Conference selection.  She earned MVP honors and served as team captain for the Crusaders.  LaPlaca still owns single-game records in grand slams (2) and RBIs.  LaPlaca carried a .346 career batting average. 

LaPlaca is entering her 13th season as head softball coach at the University of Dayton, where she has guided the Flyers to nine consecutive 20-or-more win seasons. The 2015 team finished first in the A10 regular season standings while setting a new program record for wins (39). LaPlaca's 2018 team compiled 31 wins, marking the third 30-or-more win season in her career at Dayton.  She is the winningest coach (total wins) in Dayton's athletic department, which includes 16 sports.

LaPlaca earned her bachelor of arts degree in in psychology from Clarke in 1999 and her masters of education in counseling degree from Western Illinois University in 2002.

Cara and her husband, Michael, reside in Centerville, Ohio with their three daughters, Austyn, Hayden, and Evynn.