Dan Sparks brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the Warriors as he enters his seventh year as the Head Coach at Wabash Valley. He has 6-20 win seasons at WVC and is 2nd all time in wins among active coaches.

Sparks coached for 26 years at Vincennes University in Vincennes, Ind., where he compiled a record of 706-193 at the junior college. He led the Trailblazers to 18 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XII titles, 12 NJCAA district or interregional

titles and 13 trips to the NJCAA Finals, held annually in Hutchinson, Kan. Coach Sparks’ lifetime record is 851-250.

Sparks led Vincennes to a 36-2 record and national runner-up finish in 1986, a 33-3 record and third-place national finish in 1993 and a 32-4 mark and fourth-place finish in 1992. His 704 victories rank him No.1 in the state of Indiana among college basketball coaches (ahead of No. 2 Bob Knight by 45 victories) and he was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2000. He was named Kodak NJCAA National Coach of the Year in 1986 and ranks as VU’s all-time career wins leader. His Blazer squads reached 20 or more wins in 25 of his 26 seasons (including his final 24) and 30 or more wins 10 times.

While at Vincennes, Sparks coached several professional players, including Erik Williams (Boston Celtics/ Toronto Raptors),Tyrone Nesby (Los Angeles Clippers/Washington Wizards) and NBA All-Star Shawn Marion (Phoenix Suns). Sparks has also been a past president of the NJCAA Coaches Association and a member of the USA Basketball Collegiate Committee.

Sparks is not only an outstanding coach, but also had a stellar playing career. In 1964-65, as the team’s starting center, he led Vincennes to a 28-6 record and NJCAA National Championship, as the Trailblazers became the first team east of the Mississippi River to claim the NJCAA title. He later moved on to play at Weber State, earning All-Conference honors and leading the Wildcats to a Big Sky Conference championship his senior season. Following college, he played with the Miami Floridians and New Orleans Buccaneers of the ABA and with the Chicago Bulls of the NBA.

Sparks broke into coaching at Vincennes under legendary coach Allen Bradfield, who won 607 career games. He spent the 1971-74 seasons with Bradfield including helping the team to a perfect 33-0 record and NJCAA National Championship in 1972. Sparks spent 1974-78 as an assistant coach and chief scout with the Kansas City Kings (now Sacramento Kings) of the NBA. Following his stint with the Kings, Sparks began his coaching career at VU in the 1979-80 season.

Sparks completed his Bachelor’s degree at Weber State in 1967 and his Master’s degree from Indiana State in 1973. Sparks and his wife, Debbie, have one son, Scott. Scott played one season for his Dad at Vincennes before transferring to the University of Evansville; Scott later played professional basketball in Europe.

Dan has passed on his knowledge of the game to others in his family. His son, Scott, is now an NJCAA and NCAA Division 1 Official. Scott is the only former NJCAA player to referee the

NJCAA Final Four two years (2003-04) in a row and also play in the NJCAA Final Four (1992). In 2004 Scott was the referee on the 2004 NJCAA National Championship game. Dan’s nephew, Chris Sparks, is also following in Dan’s footsteps. Chris played for Dan on a Vincennes team which included NBA star Shawn Marion. Chris then played two years at Valparaiso University. In 2005-07 Chris was a professional basketball coach in New Zealand. He now begins his third year at Valparaiso as an assistant coach.

1964-66: Vincennes University basketball player (Center on V.U.’s first National Championship team in 1965)

1966-68: Played for Weber State University, Ogden, Utah. (All Big Sky Conference Player)

1968-71: Professional Basketball Miami Floridians (ABA) Chicago Bulls (NBA)

1971-74: Assistant Coach at Vincennes University (VU won 1972 National Championship.)

1974-78: Assistant Coach Kansas City-Omaha Kings (NBA).

1979-80: Head Coach of the Vincennes University Trailblazers

1979: First VU win, VU 74 Allegany 68

1981: Win #100, VU 88 Cincinnati Tech. 67

1982: National Tournament Final Four

1986: Win #200, VU 86 Triton (Ill.) 55 (Inter-Regional Play-off)

1986: National Tournament Final Four

1986: Runner-up NJCAA National Tournament Hutchinson, Kansas (San Jacinto 78 VU 72)

1986: Eastman Kodak Coach of the Year

1990: Win #300, VU 88 Rend Lake (Ill.) 79

1992: National Tournament Final Four

1993: Win #400, VU 83-Allegany (Md.) 75

1993: National Tournament Final Four

1997: Win #500, VU 104 Kellogg (Mich.) 65

2000: Inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in Hutchinson, Kansas

2001: Coached the COPABA JUCO All-Stars in a tournament in Neuquén, Argentina

2001: Win #600, VU 84 Kankakee (Ill.) 81

2002: Breaks the VU coaching record for most wins with his 608 victories, surpassing former

Hall of Fame coach (1952-79) Allen Bradfield’s record of 607 wins.

2002: President of the NJCAA Coaches’ Association

2002: Member of the USA Basketball Collegiate Committee, sanctioning body of the U.S. Olympic team.

2005: Win #700, VU 78 Kankakee (Ill.) 71

2005: Win #706, VU 92 Kirtland (Mich.) 64 (Region 12 Championship)

2005: Finishes career at Vincennes University with 706 wins (193 losses) and establishes the

records for the most wins by a college coach in the history of basketball in the state of Indiana.

2006: Becomes the Head Coach of the Wabash Valley Warriors

2007: Beats Vincennes University on their home floor.

2010: Win #800, WVC 98 Kennedy King 68
2011: Beats Lake Land to win 1st NJCAA Region XXIV region championship at WVC

2011: Finished 8th place NJCAA national tournament

2012: Beats Olney Central to win back to back NJCAA Region XXIV Championships

2012: Finished 8th place NJCAA national tournament