PERSONAL BESTS
Indoors
Mile: 5:29.83 (2005)
3,000-Meters: 10:37.78 (2005)
Outdoors
3,200-Meter: 10:50 (2003)
2006 SEASON OUTLOOK: Shanna's first semester here demonstrated that she is a varsity talent, but she's had a number of interruptions since then. If we can find a way to establish some momentum in her training, she can be a contributor for us again.
2005: Sparks ran two races during the indoor season, the mile (5:29.83) and the 3,000-meter (10:37.78) at the Husky Classic and Big 12 Indoors, respectively.
2004: She redshirt the year, and did not compete.
CROSS COUNTRY: Competing in three races during the 2005 season, Sparks recorded a second place finish at the Air Force Invitational. She took 13th in the Tiger Invitational and 95th at the Pre-National Invitational.
High School: Sparks was an all-state runner her freshman through senior seasons. She was a member of Carson’s 2001 state cross country championship team and the Carson City Striders’ 2000 national championship squad. She graduated with the school record in the 3,200-meter (10:50). The biggest moment of her high school career was winning the state 1,600-meter title as a freshman, and upending the three-time defending state champion to do it. Sparks was also recruited by Columbia, Washington and Seattle Pacific.
ACADEMICS: An academic first-team member at Carson, she is a Sociology major at Colorado who was named to the Commissioner’s Honor Roll following the fall ’04 semester. In high school she was a member of the National Honor Society; she also received the Nevada high school Silver Scholar Award, and an academic letter award for outstanding scholastic achievement.
PERSONAL: Born Dec. 14, 1984 in Reno, Nev., Shanna Sparks is the daughter of Raymond and Penny Sparks. She has two older brothers, Chris and Darren.
