Women's Basketball

Columbus State University

4225 University Avenue - Columbus, GA - 31907
Team Office: Tel: (706) 565-3669 Fax: (706) 569-3435
Team website: athletics.colstate.edu/

Founded in 1958 as a two year institution, Columbus State is now a four-year state university with an emphasis in teacher education. It offers over 30 undergraduate degrees and nearly 20 graduate degrees. Over 60% of those enrolled are women. Columbus State also offers a Department of Military Science. Other majors offered include Computer and Information Sciences, Drawing, Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Physical Education Teaching and Coaching, and Nursing. US News 2008 report on America's Best Colleges ranked Columbus State in the fourth tier among universities in the south offering a Master's degree.

The campus is located along the Chattahoochee River in historic downtown Columbus (pop.185k), about 100 miles southwest of Atlanta.

Sports programs with recent success include women's basketball, men's golf and baseball.

School website
www.colstate.edu

College Profile

Type:

Public, Co-educational

Religious Affiliation:

None

Enrollment:

5,500

Getting In:

Not Difficult SAT 25/75: 880-1100

Tuition + Room & Board:

In-state: ~$9,000
Out-of-State: ~$17,000

Most Popular Majors

Business - Education- Computer Sciences

Misc. Information

Head coach Jay Sparks enters his 19th season at Columbus State in 2007-08. Under Sparks, who was chosen to start the program from scratch in 1989-90, CSU has been a consistent winner and particularly strong over the last nine years, averaging nearly 24 wins per season, making six NCAA appearances - including two final four appearances. In 2001, Sparks guided the Cougars to their best ever record, 31-1. Sparks, a three-sport athlete in high school, coached at the prep level for six seasons before being asked to take over the CSU program. In 2005-06, the Lady Cougars went 17-15 but improved markedly in 2006-07, going 21-11 and getting to the second round of the NCAA tourney before being upended by Clayton St.

Team Name	Cougars
Colors	Red, White and Blue
Division	NCAA Division II
All-Time Record	332-203 (.620)

Recent Record (Last 8 Years)

	Last Yr	Last Yr - 1	Last Yr - 2	Previous 5 Years
Overall	21-11	17-15	20-11	118-40 (.747)
Conference	10-6	9-11	12-4	62-24 (.721)
Conf. Finish	2	5	2	9, 1, 2, 1, 3
Post Appear.	2nd Rnd	n/a	1st Rnd	NCAA 3x
Final 25 Rank	NR	NR	NR	?

Coaches

Head Coach	Jay Sparks
	Birthday: 0000-00-00
Started at Columbus State	1989-90
Contract Expires	?
Record as Head Coach	332-203 (.620)
Record at Columbus State	332-203 (.620)
Coaching Awards	PBC COTY, National D2 COTY

Asst. Coaches	Denisha Davidson

Recruiting Coordinator

Denisha Davidson, (706) 565-1588, davidson_denisha@colstate.edu

Conference and Schedule

Columbus State plays in the Peach Belt Athletic Conference (www.peachbelt.com) which is comprised of 12 teams from Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Florida. The 20 game conference schedule usually starts in January. Each team is played home and away. The farthest conference away game is at UNC-Pembroke, some 425 miles from campus. League games are generally played on Monday and/or Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons and often piggybacked with the men's. The season concludes with the Peach Belt tourney which takes all teams with the top four receiving first round byes. The winner receives an automatic NCAA berth.

Conference Opponents

Augusta State, South Carolina-Aiken, Francis Marion, North Carolina-Pembroke, Lander, Georgia College, North Georgia, Armstrong Atlantic, South Carolina-Upstate, and Clayton State. (Note: Upstate leaves after the 2006-07 season.)

Facilities

Lumpkin Center
Capacity 1,500, Average attendance: 500