Sparling

Greg Sparling

Greg Sparling is entering his sixth year as the head coach of the men's basketball team in 2023-24.

After spending 24 seasons as the head coach of the Central Washington Wildcats and compiling a 385-253-1 record, Sparling was named the head coach of the Nanooks prior to the 2018-19 season. In his first year, Alaska only managed five wins, ending the season 5-22, 2-18 GNAC and missing out on the GNAC Championships for the third consecutive year. In 2019-20, however, the Nanooks turned things around under Sparling as he led Alaska back to the postseason for the first time since 2015-16 with a record of 12-18, 10-10 GNAC and an appearance in the 2019-20 GNAC Championships as the final seed. 

At the 2020 GNAC Championships, the Nanooks picked up their first victory since the 2015-16 postseason, defeating the Western Oregon Wolves, and advancing to the semifinals before falling to the Western Washington Vikings. 

His third season in 2020-21 was canceled due to COVID-19. 

In 2021-22, the Nanooks were off to a cold start before turning it around for one of the most improbable postseason runs in recent NCAA history. After the GNAC expanded the 2022 Championships to all 10 teams, the Nanooks, as the 10-seed, pushed their way through the seventh-seed, Simon Fraser, the two-seed, Northwest Nazarene and the three-seed, Alaska Anchorage, setting up a matchup with Central Washington. Alaska grabbed their first GNAC Championship since 2005 and made their first West Regional appearance since the same year. In the first round, the 'Nooks defeated the top-seeded Cal State San Marcos to advance to the Round of 32. They then beat Azusa Pacific to advance to the Sweet 16 before falling to Chico State. 

In 2022-23, the Nanooks went 11-15, 6-12 GNAC and fell short of the GNAC Championships. Despite falling short of the postseason, the Nanooks celebrated wins on their home-court over Seattle Pacific, Western Washington, Alaska Anchorage and Western Oregon, ending 8-5 in Fairbanks, continuing their winning ways in the Alaska Airlines Gymnasium. Abdullahi Mohamed was named a GNAC Second Team All-Conference selection following the regular-season. 

Coach Sparling was named the interim head coach at CWU late in the 1994-95 season, later earning the full-time head coaching position. He helped CWU become a full-time NCAA Division II member in 1998 and guided the program to the GNAC in the 2001-02 season.

Sparling’s teams made six appearances at the GNAC Championship Tournament since its fruition in 2011, advancing to the semifinals three times and winning a GNAC Championship in 2011. His CWU teams also made five appearances at the NCAA Division II West Region Tournament.

Sparling’s best season came in 2010-11, as the Wildcats went 26-4 overall and 16-2 in league play to earn the GNAC Regular Season Championship title before defeating the University of Alaska Anchorage to become conference tournament champions. Following the conclusion of the season, Sparling was named the Co-GNAC Coach of the Year. Sparling was a member of the CWU men’s basketball team from 1989-91 and served as the team’s co-captain in his senior season. 

Sparling earned a bachelor’s degree in art with a minor in history from Central Washington in 1993, while also serving as the team’s assistant coach under the late Gil Coleman.

Sparling Career Head Coaching Record (27 Seasons): 410-323-1 (.559)
Record at Alaska: 25-70 (.263)

1994-95* 2-1
1995-96* 15-15
1996-97* 18-13
1997-98* 19-11
1998-99* 24-5
1999-00* 21-7
2000-01* 18-10
2001-02* 16-10
2002-03* 16-11, 10-8 GNAC
2003-04* 9-18, 6-12 GNAC
2004-05* 11-16, 7-11 GNAC
2005-06* 15-13, 10-8 GNAC
2006-07* 15-12, 10-6 GNAC
2007-08* 21-7, 15-3 GNAC
2008-09* 18-7, 12-4 GNAC
2009-10* 16-11, 10-6 GNAC
2010-11* 26-4, 16-2 GNAC
2011-12* 14-13-1, 8-10 GNAC
2012-13* 15-13, 8-10 GNAC
2013-14* 12-14, 8-10 GNAC
2014-15* 17-9, 12-6 GNAC
2015-16* 18-8, 13-7 GNAC
2016-17* 14-12, 9-11 GNAC
2017-18* 15-13, 10-10 GNAC
2018-19^ 0-22, 0-18 GNAC
2019-20^ 0-18, 0-10 GNAC
2020-21 Canceled due to COVID-19
2021-22 14-15, 5-11 GNAC
2022-23 11-15, 6-12 GNAC
*at Central Washington
^ Vacated by Committee on Infractions