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WOMEN'S BASKETBALL COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Stan Swank
Assistant Coach Yvette Sparks
Edinboro Women's Basketball

Stan Swank, Head Coach

Purdue University ‘76

Stan Swank

Now in his 18th season, Stan Swank has brought a winning tradition to Edinboro University. The winningest coach in Fighting Scot women's basketball history, Swank has had 13 winning seasons during his 17-year tenure while compiling a 289-185 overall mark.

Edinboro women's basketball has enjoyed seven 20-win seasons, with Swank directing the Fighting Scots to five of those. All told, five of his Fighting Scot editions have reached the NCAA Division II playoffs, with Edinboro reaching the PSAC postseason tournament eleven times. On six of those occasions the Fighting Scots have advanced to the championship game, winning the PSAC title in 1989-90. In the NCAA Division II Tournament, he has guided Edinboro to the Final 32 twice, the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight. Swank ranks among the NCAA Division coaching leaders in career wins, standing 36th.

A year ago Edinboro surprised the rest of the PSAC by going 18-10, the most wins since 1997-98. With a third place finish in the PSAC West, the Fighting Scots made their seventh appearance in the PSAC Playoffs in the last nine years. Three of the losses came to national champion California(Pa.), along with setbacks to nationally-ranked West Texas A&M and Emporia State.

After enduring just his fourth losing season in 2001-02 with a 12-14 record, Swank guided his 2002-03 edition to a 16-12 record. Picked to finish fifth in the preseason coaches poll, the Fighting scots tied for third to return to postseason action.

In 2000-01, Swank led a young outfit which had to replace Jessica Rowe and Marin Hightower to a surprising 17-10 finish. The veteran coach employed a variety of tactics to take advantage of his entire roster, including inserting his entire second team enmasse for the starters. The Scots qualified for the PSAC Tournament. Despite a losing record in 1999-2000 (13-14), the Fighting Scots reached the PSAC Tournament.

Swank came to Edinboro in 1987 after an outstanding career as head coach at Parkland (IL) Junior College, where he recorded an impressive 104-20 overall mark.

His first Edinboro squad finished 14-11 overall, barely missing the PSAC playoffs. Building off the previous year's success, the 1988-89 team captured the PSAC Western Division crown, compiling a 21-6 overall record. Swank was chosen PSAC West Coach of the Year as the program won 20 games for the first time in nearly a decade.

The Scots repeated as PSAC West champions in 1989-90 and won the PSAC tournament for the first time ever. Edinboro also advanced to the NCAA Division II national tournament, winning its first NCAA playoff game in history to advance to the Sweet 16. The team finished with a school-record 27 wins, and Swank was named PSAC West Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

Swank's 1991-92 team finished 22-8 overall and was the PSAC runner-up. The Scots also made another appearance in the NCAA national tournament. The Fighting Scots again finished second in the PSAC in '92-93 and appeared in the national tournament for the third time in four years. After a two-year hiatus, Swank's 1995-96 team returned to the postseason, as the Scots finished 15-13 overall. Edinboro beat PSAC East tri-champion Kutztown in the opening round of the PSAC tournament.

Edinboro was the PSAC West co-champion and the PSAC tournament runner-up in 1996-97, with Swank once again earning Coach of the Year honors. The Scots then posted three victories in the NCAA tournament to win the East Regional title and earn a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight. Edinboro finished the year 24-9, the second highest win total in school history.

The '97-98 Fighting Scot squad also made a run in the NCAA Playoffs after finishing as the runnerup in the PSAC Tournament. Edinboro defeated the University of Charleston before suffering an 88-78 loss to PSAC-rival Shippensburg in the NCAA's.

The Fighting Scots jumped out to a 9-0 start in 1998-99 and were ranked 16th in the USA Today WBCA Division II poll. Ravaged by injuries, Edinboro dropped 10 of its next 17 contests, finishing the year 16-10 and missing the PSAC playoffs.

During his tenure Swank has had 35 All-PSAC performers, two PSAC West Rookie of the Year recipients, and six Kodak All-Americans. He has received numerous honors in his own right, being named the PSAC West Coach of the Year four times and Edinboro University's Coach of the Year twice. He currently ranks in the top 50 among Division II women's coaches in both wins and winning percentage.

Swank earned a bachelor's degree in Physical Education at Purdue University in 1976. He completed work on his master's degree in Educational Administration at Purdue in 1979. He embarked on his head coaching career at Fisher High School in Illinois, where his boys team compiled a 39-14 record in two seasons. In 1983, he moved on to Parkland Junior College, where his Cobra team won four consecutive sectional championships and finished second twice, and third once, in the NJCAA Region 24.

Swank, his wife Gail and their two sons Stan II, 21, and Benjamin, 17, reside in

email Coach Swank
phone: 1-814-7322776 ext 226
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Yvette Sparks, Assistant Coach

Yvette Sparks was hired as Edinboro University's assistant women's basketball coach in February 2004, concluding an extended search to fill the vacant post.

Sparks joins the Edinboro program after serving as the head coach at Malone College in Canton, Ohio from 2001-2003. She led the Pioneers 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 in third place in the American Mideast Conference with a 16-4 ledger. In the first round of the AMC tournament, the Pioneers earned their first playoff victory since 1982-83 with a 79-63 win over rival Walsh. Malone played 15th-ranked Judson(Ill.) College in the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament, dropping an 83-68 decision.

Sparks was named the NCCAA East Region Coach of the Year following the 2001-02 campaign. In addition, Malone forward Amy Stefansic was named the school's first-ever NAIA All-American, landing a spot on the third team.

Prior to taking over the Malone program, Sparks served as an assistant coach at Valdosta State University from 1996-2001. The 1996-97 team won the Gulf South Conference East Division championship and earned a spot in the NCAA Division II South Regional, finishing with a 20-7 record. Sparks served as the interim head coach for the 1999-2000 season.

"Yvette brings enthusiasm, passion for the game and a great personality for recruiting," noted Edinboro head coach Stan Swank. "She'll be immediately involved heavily in the recruiting aspect."

A graduate of Clearwater Christian College in 1994, Sparks holds a bachelor of science degree in physical education. She was a four-year letterwinner in both basketball and volleyball. Her husband Jeff is the National Sales Manager for Snyder Manufacturing in Paris, OH.

email Coach Sparks
phone: 1-814-7322776 ext 227
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last updated on October 16, 2004