Jay Sparks will be entering his fourth full year of heading the CSU Athletic Department. He officially stepped into his new role as Athletic Director in April of 2008, moving up from the position of assistant athletic director - a post he had held since 1999. 

From the outset of his tenure Sparks has been pushing to advance the Columbus State athletic department to further limits.  In his second year as AD, he oversaw the addition of men’s and women’s track & field, women’s golf and rifle.  With the full support of President Dr. Tim Mescon, Sparks was able to secure the 2011 NCAA Rifle Championships held at the Lumpkin Center and Fort Benning, the home of the CSU Rifle team.  There have been several facility upgrades as well including the construction of press boxes for the women’s soccer and softball programs.  The baseball and softball fields have seen aesthetic improvements and new state-of-the-art LED boards were purchased to be used at 2011 NCAA Rifle Championship as well as all home basketball games.

Sparks first arrived at CSU as the man chosen to start the women’s basketball program in 1989 and led the program to national notoriety. After the first several years of recruiting players and implementing his system in which his win total grew every season, Sparks had his first 20-win season during the 1993-94 campaign.  Sparks’ finest season came in 2000-01 when the team went 31-1 and reached the NCAA Division II Final Four.  His teams amassed a career record of 367-231 and an even more impressive mark of 333-159 over his final 16 years and ten 20-win seasons overall while at the helm.  Over the course of his 20 year stint on the sidelines, Sparks’ coached 21 All-Peach Belt Lady Cougars including All-Americans Kinesha Harden and Phebe Smith

Before coming to Columbus State, Sparks coached girls' basketball at Hardaway High School in Columbus from 1980-84 and boy's basketball at his alma mater, Brookstone, from 1985-86. He compiled a 63-39 record while at Hardaway, and a 13-15 record at Brookstone.

A native of Columbus, he graduated from Brookstone High School in 1976 where he was a standout athlete. He was voted Most Valuable Player in baseball, team captain in basketball, and was the recipient of the Golden Helmet Award in football. His baseball prowess earned him a scholarship to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) where he played for four years. During his career, Sparks was named Freshman Pitcher of the Year, threw two no-hitters, a one-hitter, was voted team captain for his junior and senior years and earned a place on the All-Tennessee Team in his senior year.

Sparks has been married to his wife Cindy for 30 years and have two children, Emily and Bentley.  Emily currently lives in Birmingham, AL while working for her alma mater, Samford University.  Bentley, a 2010 graduate of Berry College, is currently enrolled in CSU's School of Education working towards his M.Ed. in Health and Physical Education.  He will also serve as a graduate assistant for the men's basketball program.  The family attends First Baptist Church of Columbus. In his free time, Sparks enjoys golfing, working in his yard, and watching sports on television.