It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

[northernGNAChoopfan]

See UAF page for announcement. I can't attach a link right now...

[lv2hoop]

[tsull]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

See UAF page for announcement. I can't attach a link right now...

I've endorsed this hire for awhile and think it's a great hire. He's a proven winner and good recruiter. Will there be challenges? Sure, Durham faced challenges, it's part of the game. Welcome back to the GNAC coach Sparling, though you really never left.

[IronOre]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Somebody get the guy a parka.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

I have also heard that Sparling is bringing UAA assistant Jesse Brown up to Fairbanks. I have heard that the guys that are here now are staying and happy with the hire as well. I think UAF ball will be pretty different going forward and I'm eager to see it.

Agree with lv2hoop in that I think Sparling might just be a good fit for Fairbanks~sounds like Sparling has a strong history of community engagement and fundraising and basketball camps, etc.

MSUB has already released it's schedule that reveals that UAF will open league play in Billings and Billings will close the regular season in Fairbanks. Those will be fun and big games. I'm sure it's no secret that the GNAC knew just like putting UAA and CWU against each other on the last night of the season the last few years, Montana and Alaska would be interesting this coming year. If I can take a trip on the road to watch the Nooks this year, I would really love to go to Ellensburg and see that one too. Took me a little while this off season to get excited for the coming season, but it is official, I'm excited now. Done some digging around and excited to see what Sparling can do. Looks like he's got 9 guys now, all positions covered, but not a lot of depth for the big guys. Hopefully he can find a few big guys who can at least sub Lendway and Kluting. If nothing else, this season should be real interesting with all the swapping around in the coaching department!

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Looks like the rumor mill was accurate in that Sparling has hired UAA assistant, Brown.

https://alaskananooks.com/news/2018/...ant-coach.aspx

Now the Nooks are being lead by former Wildcats and Seawolves... :bulgy-eyes:

[lv2hoop]

[Goods]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Didn't know where to put this, but Greg Sparling's son, Coleman hasn't even played a minute of JC ball yet after xfer'ing out of CWU, but he just got offered by D1 UT-Arlington.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Didn't know where to put this, but Greg Sparling's son, Coleman hasn't even played a minute of JC ball yet after xfer'ing out of CWU, but he just got offered by D1 UT-Arlington.

I actually just posted that in this thread here: http://www.d2football.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91709

Check out that for the discussion on that matter

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

The UAF roster is posted.

https://alaskananooks.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball

Coach Sparling had a ton of late catching up to do on the recruiting trail. No one listed as a freshman, but there is a sophomore with no prior college experience. Maybe a local kid who walked on. Spar found 6 Juco transfers and a senior D2 transfer from Winona State. 6'7" Ty Glover from San Bernardino CC originally was heading to the Portland Pilots before landing at UAF. And Spencer Sweet of Lower Columbia CC averaged 16.7 ppg while shooting nearly 40% from 3. Alex Martin averaged 22.3 ppg 7.6 rpg 4.6 apg at Whatcom CC

[tsull]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

The UAF roster is posted.

https://alaskananooks.com/roster.aspx?path=mbball

Coach Sparling had a ton of late catching up to do on the recruiting trail. No one listed as a freshman, but there is a sophomore with no prior college experience. Maybe a local kid who walked on. Spar found 6 Juco transfers and a senior D2 transfer from Winona State. 6'7" Ty Glover from San Bernardino CC originally was heading to the Portland Pilots before landing at UAF. And Spencer Sweet of Lower Columbia CC averaged 16.7 ppg while shooting nearly 40% from 3. Alex Martin averaged 22.3 ppg 7.6 rpg 4.6 apg at Whatcom CC

Great stats, thanks. Looks like he found some immediate impact guys. Those are good numbers and guessing the North Idaho guy can play, whether he had good stats or not, great JC program.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Actually the UAF roster is wrong. He is from Southern Idaho, where the Sparling kid currently goes.

Question is, will those Juco transfers be able to brave the Fairbanks winters for 2 years?

[tsull]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Actually the UAF roster is wrong. He is from Southern Idaho, where the Sparling kid currently goes.

Question is, will those Juco transfers be able to brave the Fairbanks winters for 2 years?

CSI is an even better program than NIC. Like I said, most of CSI's roster gets D-1 and D-2 scholarships, even if they didn't play more.

Two years goes by in a flash. A transfer for one year for their senior season would be a waste, IMO. Those rarely work out.

[northernGNAChoopfan]

Re: It's official: Sparling heads to UAF

Actually the UAF roster is wrong. He is from Southern Idaho, where the Sparling kid currently goes.

Question is, will those Juco transfers be able to brave the Fairbanks winters for 2 years?

Come on man... When are you going to get off the Fairbanks winter thing. Every year before guys even play here you proclaim that they might not survive the winter without succumbing to some cold-weather related fate. This is an INSIDE sport. Guys don't leave Fairbanks based on the winter weather; they leave early because of the circumstances, the distance from home, not fitting in like they thought they would, not getting playing time, etc. Many, many programs lose similar amounts of players yearly and we don't talk over and over about how dreary Seattle area winters are. With all the dreariness in the PNW, there is likely more *sunshine* in Fairbanks... Cold sunshine sure, but a whole lot less dreary. The whole GNAC presents challenges for young men who are hoping to be hoop stars by night and study by the beach by day. If guys make friends, form a strong team unit and find success on the court and in the classroom they usually stick out less than favorable weather conditions... Just sayin. It hasn't even snowed in earnest up here yet and we're almost to Halloween-it's a tropical start to winter if you ask me.