Senior Megan Sparks is a hometown girl and can boast playing the most minutes of anybody in the conference this year.

With time like that, you’d expect her to be putting up some big numbers this season as well. And she has.

Sparks, who attended Mattoon High School, is in the middle of her fourth season with a scoring average in double digits. She is averaging a career-high 16.9 points per game.

In the Jan. 12 game against Tennessee-Martin, Sparks tied the school record with seven 3-pointers and scored a career-high 30 points in a 67-58 win.

“I don’t really set individual goals, they come with how hard you play and the team you play with.” Sparks said. Success on the court is no stranger to the 5-foot-9 guard.

Entering the Eastern program in 2001 as a highly decorated high school starter, she earned starter status after only a few games.

In her first career start, she scored 19 points and five rebounds against Louisville.

Sparks earned a spot on the OVC all-freshman team and was twice named the OVC’s rookie of the week.

She finished the season 16th in scoring and 6th in free throw percentage in the OVC.

In her sophomore season, Sparks repeated the performance.

She finished third on the team and 20th in the conference in scoring and broke Eastern’s single-game free throw percentage record making 12-of-12 against Southeast Missouri.

Sparks entered this season with 853 points after finishing second on the team in scoring last season.

Sparks doesn’t let all of the records and hype phase her.

This season has brought about a bigger change than just being the team’s leading scorer. She is on a team that is in contention.

“It’s what I wanted for my senior year,” she said of the team’s fourth place position in the standings and a possibility of going to the conference championship in Nashville, Tenn.

Sparks knows what has changed.

“(Head coach Brady Sallee) has changed our team, making the offense and defense compatible with the players we have,” she said.

Sparks had to experience the coaching change after her sophomore season but it seemed to be an easy transition. “Sparks has been nothing but loyal, she has really bought in hook, line and sinker to what we are trying to do here and it’s paying off,” Sallee said.

“Her leadership has made a huge impact,” said assistant coach Anne O’Neil. “Her commitment level is right where it should be this time her senior year.”

Sparks hopes to leave not only records on the wall but a work ethic behind.

“Anything less than a win has become unacceptable,” she said.

Coach Sallee set the goal of making hard work and Eastern synonymous when he started coaching here last season.

“She’s a great leader in regards to the freshmen, in regards to hard work, and has really stepped up this season,” O’Neil.

The Panthers also know where to look when the team needs a big play.

“Sparks is always there when we need a tough shot, she understands that, we understand that, and her opponents understand that. That is what makes each of those record-breaking points so special,” said Sallee.

“It’s obvious she takes control of the game pretty easily,” said freshman guard Ellen Canale.

Sparks can’t see herself losing the competitive nature that has pushed her to success the last four years.

She may like to coach in the future. But for now, she’s focusing on pushing her team to a championship and maybe beating her current assistant coach and former teammate Lauren Dailey’s career-point record.