CORVALLIS, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University's Hunter Sparks was named the 2023-24 Cascade Collegiate Conference Rize Laboratory Athlete of the Year, the conference announced Friday morning. This award represents the CCC's highest athletic honor, selected by the conference's athletic directors.

Sparks, a native of Roseburg, Ore., led the Mounties to a 9-3 overall record on his way to securing an individual National Title. He completed the season with a 21-1 record, his only loss coming against an NCAA Division I opponent from Iowa State.

"Hunter is a true scholar athlete and an even better teammate and role model," Head Men's Wrestling Coach Dustyn Azure said. "I am blessed to have him in our program and proud of all the accomplishments he has earned during his collegiate journey."

In his final season, Sparks put together a historic run capped off by late-match heroics in the national tournament. The senior earned his spot in the national championship for the second-straight year by completing a dramatic comeback in triple overtime of the semifinals to knock off the reigning national champion. The 125-pounder then clinched a 6-5 decision victory with a takedown in the final 20 seconds of the national championship, becoming Eastern's first national champion in 55 years and only the third in EOU history.

In addition to his national title, Sparks was named the 2024 NAIA Outstanding Wrestler of the Year, marking his second consecutive All-American honor. He also earned the title of 2024 CCC Wrestler of the Year and won back-to-back CCC Championships, securing consecutive CCC All-Conference honors. Academically, Sparks was recognized as a CCC Academic All-Conference member and a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

Sparks is the first Mountie to win a CCC Athlete of the Year award since 2019 when Maya Ah You Dias clinched her second-straight CCC Athlete of the Year title for her work on the basketball court. More specifically the award marks EOU's first Male Athlete of the Year award since 2018 when Nic Maszk earned the nod for a dominant year in cross country and track and field.