Yvette Sparks joins the JSU staff after spending the last year in the Nashville, Tenn. area teaching and coaching at Davidson Academy. She taught history and served as coached women's basketball and volleyball.
Prior to the last academic year, she spent four seasons, from 2006-10, on the bench at Belmont University under the direction of former Bruin head coach Tony Cross. While at BU, Sparks experienced the NCAA Tournament in her first season at the Nashville-based school. The Bruins claimed the Atlantic Sun regular season title and claimed an NCAA bid after capturing the tournament championship in 2006-07. Belmont reached the A-Sun Tournament semifinals in back-to-back seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Sparks mentored two-time A-Sun Player of the Year, Alysha Clark in 2006 and 2007. She coached the A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year, Jessica Bobbitt in 2008. Bobbitt ranked third in the nation in blocked shots. Bobbitt became the program's 24th 1,000 point club member as a junior, shattered the A-Sun all-time record for career blocks that had stood since 1995. Throughout her stint at BU, Sparks recruited and coached four all-conference performers and had four players named to the league's all freshman squad. Off the court, six Bruins earned all-academic team status.
Before her tenure at Belmont, Sparks spent two seasons at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania as an assistant coach. While at EUP, she helped the Fighting Scots to three appearances at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament (2004, 2005), including a second-place finish in 2006. The team also earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Sparks earned her first head coaching job at Malone College in Canton, Ohio in 2001 and spent the next two years in the Buckeye State. She led the Pioneers of MC to a 37-23 record during her two seasons, including a 24-7 finish in 2001-02. Malone made its first-ever trip to the NAIA National Tournament after finishing third in the American Mideast Conference with a 16-4 record. Sparks was named the NCCAA East Region Coach of the Year following the 2001-02 campaign.
Her coaching roots started on the NCAA Division II level at Gulf South Conference member Valdosta State. Sparks served on the Lady Blazer staff from 1996-2001. The 1996-97 team won the GSC East Division Championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Division II South Regional, finishing with a 20-7 mark. With Sparks at the helm as interim coach during the 1999-2000 season, VSU led the nation in blocked shots and rebounds.
A graduate of Clearwater Christian College in 1994, Sparks holds a B.S. in Physical Education. She was a four-year letterwinner in both basketball and volleyball. She also earned a Master's in Sports Science from Valdosta State in 1998.
She is married to Jeff Sparks. The couple has one daughter, Kara.
