Boxing
Clifford, Dr. Mark
Dr. Mark Clifford
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- 719-333-2766
Dr. Mark Clifford, a 1997 Academy graduate, three-time NCBA All-American and the former NCBA national champion, returns to Air Force as the new boxing coach, Director of Athletics Nathan Pine announced this afternoon (May 23).
“It is my pleasure to welcome Mark Clifford back home to the Academy to lead our men’s and women’s boxing programs,” Pine said. “He has served in a number of important roles in our athletic department throughout his career and has demonstrated great leadership and dedication to our cadet-athletes. His passion is in the sport of boxing, and I’m excited about his vision and how he will elevate our program.”
Clifford is no stranger to the Air Force boxing program, having competed on the team as a cadet and served as an assistant coach during two different stints in the athletic department. As a cadet, Clifford won three Wing Open championships, three regional titles and three NCBA All-America accolades, while capturing the NCBA title as a senior. A team captain, Clifford was also named the Wing Open’s Outstanding Boxer and received the team’s Boxing Excellence award. As an assistant, Clifford was ringside for four national team championship, 21 individual national champions, and over 30 NCBA All-Americans.
“I’m honored to be selected as the next head coach of Air Force Boxing – a program steeped in tradition,” Clifford said. “The opportunity to lead the Falcons’ boxing team is a dream come true, and I’m humbled to be able to give back to a program and community that helped shape me as an officer and leader. It’s difficult to put into words the gratitude and excitement I have, but I look forward to building on the program’s rich history and legacy of national championships, while also developing leaders for our Air and Space Forces. I’m eagerly anticipating getting back in the gym, and into the ring, to continue the legacy of greatness that defines Air Force Boxing.”
Clifford spent 20 years in the Air Force, before retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. As a logistics readiness officer, he served in a variety of positions, including the director of fuel operations for Air Force One. While serving with Joint Special Operations Command, Clifford logged multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He also served as commander of the 647th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the 607th Materiel Maintenance Squadron in South Korea, before working on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon during his last assignment.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, Clifford was hired as a professor at Grand Canyon University (GCU), where he led the sports management program and served as an Assistant Dean for the Colangelo College of Business. During his time at GCU, he helped grow the student enrollment of the sports program to over 800 students, while building a network of professional sports organizations to support his students. He also worked hand-in-hand with the sports marketing agency, Position Sports, which provided multiple opportunities for students – and continued to work alongside the agency to develop their nonprofit program, which he was eventually hired to run and operate.
Prior to returning to the Academy, Clifford served as the executive director of the DREAM Foundation, where he collaborated with multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to enroll students into their virtual DREAM program. Through the DREAM program, which is partnered with multiple live event partners, students have the opportunity to be mentored by sports professionals, learn about sport business operations, and gain experience at sporting events.
Clifford, who graduated from the Academy in 1997, earned a Master’s degree in human resource management from the University of Maryland, University College, in 2002, and a PhD in sports administration from the University of New Mexico in 2007.
He and his wife, Alix, have two sons, Kaleb and Jaiden.
“It is my pleasure to welcome Mark Clifford back home to the Academy to lead our men’s and women’s boxing programs,” Pine said. “He has served in a number of important roles in our athletic department throughout his career and has demonstrated great leadership and dedication to our cadet-athletes. His passion is in the sport of boxing, and I’m excited about his vision and how he will elevate our program.”
Clifford is no stranger to the Air Force boxing program, having competed on the team as a cadet and served as an assistant coach during two different stints in the athletic department. As a cadet, Clifford won three Wing Open championships, three regional titles and three NCBA All-America accolades, while capturing the NCBA title as a senior. A team captain, Clifford was also named the Wing Open’s Outstanding Boxer and received the team’s Boxing Excellence award. As an assistant, Clifford was ringside for four national team championship, 21 individual national champions, and over 30 NCBA All-Americans.
“I’m honored to be selected as the next head coach of Air Force Boxing – a program steeped in tradition,” Clifford said. “The opportunity to lead the Falcons’ boxing team is a dream come true, and I’m humbled to be able to give back to a program and community that helped shape me as an officer and leader. It’s difficult to put into words the gratitude and excitement I have, but I look forward to building on the program’s rich history and legacy of national championships, while also developing leaders for our Air and Space Forces. I’m eagerly anticipating getting back in the gym, and into the ring, to continue the legacy of greatness that defines Air Force Boxing.”
Clifford spent 20 years in the Air Force, before retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. As a logistics readiness officer, he served in a variety of positions, including the director of fuel operations for Air Force One. While serving with Joint Special Operations Command, Clifford logged multiple combat tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. He also served as commander of the 647th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the 607th Materiel Maintenance Squadron in South Korea, before working on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon during his last assignment.
Following his retirement from the Air Force, Clifford was hired as a professor at Grand Canyon University (GCU), where he led the sports management program and served as an Assistant Dean for the Colangelo College of Business. During his time at GCU, he helped grow the student enrollment of the sports program to over 800 students, while building a network of professional sports organizations to support his students. He also worked hand-in-hand with the sports marketing agency, Position Sports, which provided multiple opportunities for students – and continued to work alongside the agency to develop their nonprofit program, which he was eventually hired to run and operate.
Prior to returning to the Academy, Clifford served as the executive director of the DREAM Foundation, where he collaborated with multiple Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to enroll students into their virtual DREAM program. Through the DREAM program, which is partnered with multiple live event partners, students have the opportunity to be mentored by sports professionals, learn about sport business operations, and gain experience at sporting events.
Clifford, who graduated from the Academy in 1997, earned a Master’s degree in human resource management from the University of Maryland, University College, in 2002, and a PhD in sports administration from the University of New Mexico in 2007.
He and his wife, Alix, have two sons, Kaleb and Jaiden.
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