Fresh off helping Oklahoma to its third consecutive national championship, Hannah Sparks joined Auburn softball as an assistant coach on July 3, 2023.
Sparks helped the Tigers to a 29-21-1 overall record while playing the 11th toughest schedule in the nation. The 2024 season featured Auburn’s most wins over Quad 1 teams since the 2018 season with nine. The Tigers earned their first series win in Baton Rouge since 2015 after taking two wins at No. 6 LSU. Auburn also clinched back-to-back series wins over in-state rival Alabama for the first time since the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Auburn also earned its 10th consecutive NCAA Regional appearance traveling to Tallahassee. The Tigers advanced to Sunday’s championship round for the second straight season.
Sparks served as the volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater during the 2023 season, during which the Sooner staff was honored as the National Fastpitch Coaching Association Division I Staff of the Year. Sparks helped the Sooners to a 61-1 record, the best winning percentage in NCAA Division I softball history and Big 12 regular season and tournament titles.
Oklahoma led the country in multiple categories, including earned run average (0.96), batting average (.367) and fielding percentage (.988). The Sooners’ title run included a 53-game win streak, which set the NCAA record, 35 shutouts, 29 wins by run rule and a 28-0 record versus ranked opponents to set program records.
A nation-leading five Sooners were named NFCA First Team All-Americans during Sparks’ stint while eight student-athletes earned All-Big 12 accolades.
Prior to returning to Oklahoma, Sparks spent three seasons as the hitting and catching coach and recruiting coordinator at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi. During the 2021 season, PRCC slugged 43 home runs and held a team batting average of .335 under Sparks.
Sparks began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
A 2018 graduate of Oklahoma, Sparks was a national champion with the Sooners as a catcher in 2017. The Thomasville, Alabama, native made over 70 appearances at Oklahoma after transferring from Northwest Florida State College where she was an All-American at the NFCAA Division I level. She helped Northwest Florida State to the 2016 Panhandle Conference championship.
Sparks served as the volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater during the 2023 season, during which the Sooner staff was honored as the National Fastpitch Coaching Association Division I Staff of the Year. Sparks helped the Sooners to a 61-1 record, the best winning percentage in NCAA Division I softball history and Big 12 regular season and tournament titles.
Oklahoma led the country in multiple categories, including earned run average (0.96), batting average (.367) and fielding percentage (.988). The Sooners’ title run included a 53-game win streak, which set the NCAA record, 35 shutouts, 29 wins by run rule and a 28-0 record versus ranked opponents to set program records.
A nation-leading five Sooners were named NFCA First Team All-Americans during Sparks’ stint while eight student-athletes earned All-Big 12 accolades.
Prior to returning to Oklahoma, Sparks spent three seasons as the hitting and catching coach and recruiting coordinator at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi. During the 2021 season, PRCC slugged 43 home runs and held a team batting average of .335 under Sparks.
Sparks began her coaching career as a graduate assistant at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
A 2018 graduate of Oklahoma, Sparks was a national champion with the Sooners as a catcher in 2017. The Thomasville, Alabama, native made over 70 appearances at Oklahoma after transferring from Northwest Florida State College where she was an All-American at the NFCAA Division I level. She helped Northwest Florida State to the 2016 Panhandle Conference championship.