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Megan Sparks

  • position Backstroke
  • class Senior
  • Hometown Carmel, Ind.
  • High school Carmel
  • position Backstroke
  • class Senior
  • Hometown Carmel, Ind.
  • High school Carmel

Megan Sparks Bio

2010-11 – Had team[apos]s top times in 100 backstroke (55.11) and 200 backstroke (1:59.53) at SEC Championships…100 back time earned an NCAA `B[apos] cut…Second-best Gamecock in 50 free (23.69)…Part of four top Gamecock relay squads – 200 FR (1:33.03), 400 FR (3:23.16-B), 200 MR (1:41.78-B), 400 MR (3:40.29-B)…Helped 400 MR team to a school-record time.

2009-10 – Continued to lead South Carolina in backstroke events… Posted one of three NCAA `B[apos] cuts for the team with a 1:59.16 in the 200 backstroke at SEC Championships…Finished 17th in the event, barely missing scoring points…Also had team[apos]s best 100 back time (56.06)…Was second-best on the squad in the 200 IM (2:06.01)…Also top five in the 50 free (24.04), 100 free (52.65) and 200 free (1:53.31)…Part of the top 200 MR, 400 MR and 200 FR teams…Won four races on the year – 200 back vs. Kentucky, Clemson and Vanderbilt/UNC-Wilmington, and 100 back vs. Vandy/UNCW…Named to SEC Academic Honor Roll.

2008-09 – Led the Gamecocks in the backstroke events… Advanced to consolation finals in 200 back at SEC Championship, finished 14th…Earned NCAA `B[apos] cuts in the 100 back (54.74) and 200 back (1:57.66) at the SEC Championships…Swam leadoff leg of 200 MR (1:41.57) and 400 MR (3:41.87) teams that set school records… earned NCAA `B[apos] cuts with 200 MR, 200 FR (1:31.51) and 400 FR (3:20.41)…Won two individual races on the year, both in the dual meet with Duke and Davidson…Advanced to consolation finals in both 100 and 200 back at U.S. Short Course Nationals…Named to SEC Academic Honor Roll.

2007-08 – Emerged as a team leader in the backstroke events with the top times for Carolina in both the 100 and 200 back…Swam the second-fastest time in school history in the 100 with a 56.03…Moved to fourth on the all-time list in the 200 with a 2:01.66…Was part of four NCAA `B[apos] cuts in the 200 and 400 free relays and the 200 and 400 medley relays…Three of those four cuts came at the SEC Championships.

PRE-COLLEGE – Graduated from Carmel High School … Competed in the 2004 Indiana Girls High School State Championship finishing first in the 200 medley relay, third in the 100 backstroke and seventh in the 200 free relay … 2005 State Champion in the 400 free relays, finished second in the 200 medley relay and fifth in the 100 backstroke … 2006 State Champion in the 200 medley relay, finished second in both the 100 backstroke and 400 freestyle relay and finished sixth in the 200 freestyle … Named Athlete of the Week in the Hare Chevrolet/Daily Times … Named 2005-06 first-team all-county … Finished in the Indiana Top-Ten seven years straight from 1998-2005 … Garnered first-team honors from the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association for three consecutive years (2003-2006) … Competed in the 2004 USA Swimming National T-16, finishing ninth in the 200 medley relay, 12th in the 200 backstroke and 13th in the 100 backstroke … USOC Olympic Training Center Select Camp in 2005-06 … 2005-06 Scholar Athlete.

PERSONAL – Major is sport and entertainment management.

Sparks[apos] Top Times
Event Time Date Meet Location
50 freestyle 23.69 2/17/11 SEC Championships Gainesville, Fla.
100 freestyle 52.65 2/20/10 SEC Championships Athens, Ga.
200 freestyle 1:52.32 11/21/08 Gamecock Invitational Columbia, S.C.
100 backstroke 54.74! 2/19/09 SEC Championships Auburn, Ala.
200 backstroke 1:57.66 2/20/09 SEC Championships Auburn, Ala.
200 IM 2:05.07 1/31/09 Alabama/Georgia Tuscaloosa, Ala.