Sprints, hurdles and jumps specialist Matt Sparks replaced Steve Eles as Lake Superior State’s head track and field coach in August, 2010.

During Sparks' inaugural season at LSSU, seven indoor and nine outdoor school records fell. Season highlights included Jon Allen's second-place finish in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor National Championships and his third-place indoor finish. Allen set a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference indoor record of 15.80 meters. Allen (triple jump), Hans Riedel (discus throw) and Ben Charbonneau (javelin throw) won titles at the 2011 GLIAC Outdoor Championships.

Sparks was an assistant coach at Western State College of Colorado for two seasons before assisting at Chadron State (Neb.) in 2009-10. Both are NCAA Division II institutions. He is a 2007 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Azusa, Cal., where he was a 10-time NAIA All-American in sprints, hurdles and relays. He won NAIA national titles in the outdoor 110-meter high hurdles in 2006 and indoor 60-meter high hurdles in 2007.

"I am excited to be a part of Laker Athletics and LSSU,” Sparks said. “There is a lot of potential to build something really special here as a track and field program. Building a well-rounded, hard-working team capable of contending for GLIAC titles is my first priority."

Eles is continuing as LSSU’s cross country coach, but vacated his head track and field coaching position in order to take an administrative position on campus. He managed both programs for five seasons. Eles will continue to work with Lake Superior State’s distance runners.

In 2009-10, Sparks coached Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champions in the indoor 60 and 200-meter dashes and 60-meter hurdles, and the outdoor 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes, 110-meter hurdles and 4x100-meter relay. While at Western State College, he assisted the men’s team to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships. He has coached 10 NCAA Division II national qualifiers.

Sparks also has experience teaching exercise and sports science and physical education courses, managing an operating budget and producing promotions materials. He is working on a masters degree in sports management.