Cougar Athletics
30 NAIA National Championships
95 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR: Senior Matt Sparks is one the premier sprinters in the NAIA … Has won the NAIA high hurdle titles at both the indoor and outdoor championships … Is a 7-time All-American between the high and intermediate hurdles … Has completed his indoor eligibility and will not begin competing for the Cougars until mid-March … Teams with Pichler, Gay and Thomas to lead an outstanding Cougar hurdle corps.

2007: Helped lead the Cougars to the 2007 NAIA indoor team championship by registering his first-ever indoor title when he won the 60-meter hurdles with a personal-best 8.08 … Also ran a leg on the Cougars’ 4x400 that did not advance out of the NAIA prelims … Suffered a foot injury that shut him down for the entire 2007 outdoor campaign.

2006: Became only the third Cougar ever (but the second in 4 years) to win an NAIA title in the 110 hurdles, clocking a personal-best 14.00 in the finals of the NAIA Outdoor Championships in Fresno, edging his nearest competitor by .20 of a second ... Came back later in the meet to finish as the national runner-up in the 400 hurdles (53.03) to become just the third Cougar ever to garner All-America honors in both hurdle races at the same championship meet ... Also ran the opening leg on the Cougars’ 4x400 relay that finished fourth (3:12.23) ... Ran a leg on the 4x100 that advanced to the NAIA finals ... Qualified for the NAIA Indoor Championship 60-meter hurdles, but did not advance to the finals ... Won the GSAC 400 hurdles title with a 53.89.

2005: As a 2005 sophomore, fashioned one of the finest seasons ever by a Cougar hurdler … Advanced to the finals of all 3 NAIA championship hurdle races, including the 110 highs and 400 intermediates at the outdoor meet … Collected a pair of All-American honors by finishing fourth in the indoor 55 hurdles (7.74) and fourth in the outdoor 110 hurdles (14.60) … Was seventh in the outdoor 400 hurdles (52.92) … Garnered another All-American honor by running the opening leg on the Cougars’ 4x400 relay that finished sixth at the NAIA Indoor Championships … Recorded personal bests of 14.31 in the 110 highs (tenth best time in program history), clocked at the Mt. SAC Relays, and 52.41 in the 400 intermediates (sixth best time in program history) at the Steve Scott Invitational.

2004: As a 2004 freshman qualified for the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Track & Field Championships in high hurdles, clocking an 8.08 in the indoor 55 highs and a 14.84 in the finals of the outdoor 110 highs … Qualified for the finals with a season-best 14.69 in the semis … Ran a season-best 56.92 in the 400 hurdles at the Pomona Invitational.

HIGH SCHOOL: Lettered 3 years in track & field at Gunnison (Colo.) High where over his final 2 seasons he collected 5 state championship honors … As a 2003 senior, teamed with current Cougar Jason Zichterman to lead the Cowboys to the state 3A team title by winning the 110 high hurdles with a state 3A record 14.52 … Was also the state champ in the 300 hurdles with a 38.70 … Anchored Gunnison to the winning 4x400 relay (3:25.22) … As a 2002 junior, won the state crown in the 110 hurdles (15.21) and was fifth in the 300 hurdles (41.10) … Ran a leg on the state record-setting 4x400 (3:22.42), while leading the Cowboys to a fourth-place finish in the state 3A meet … Also played 2 seasons of basketball (guard).

PERSONAL: Born June 25, 1985, in Hilo, Hawaii, to Doug (pastor) and Candy Sparks … Has 2 sisters (Stephanie, Elisabeth) … English major… Enjoys fly fishing.

SPARKS BESTS at AZUSA PACIFIC

YEAR    55HH    60HH    11OHH    400IH
2004    7.97    8.73    14.69    56.92
2005    7.70    8.39    14.31    52.41
2006	7.72    8.22    14.00    52.79
2007      -     8.08      -        -