Upcoming Event: Men's Golf versus The Invitational at The Honors Course on September 15, 2025
Men's Golf
vs The Invitational at The Honors Course
Staff Directory
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Samantha Sparks Ekstrand
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- (919) 684-4903
This marks the seventh season for Samantha Sparks-Ekstrand with the Duke women's lacrosse program. A 1996 graduate of Dartmouth College, Sparks began serving as a volunteer coach while a graduate student at Duke. Sparks graduated in May 2001 from the Duke Law School with a J.D. and M.A. in History. For the next two years, while volunteering with Duke, she taught U.S. History at Cary Academy and coached middle school girls' basketball. Two years ago, Sparks and her husband, Bob Ekstrand, set up their own law practice in Durham, Ekstrand and Ekstrand, LLP.
Sparks spent four seasons playing lacrosse at Dartmouth from 1993-96. During her stint with the squad, Dartmouth recorded an impressive 1995 campaign, which featured an Ivy League Championship, a No. 4 national ranking, and a spot in the NCAA Final Four. Sparks was tabbed an Academic All-America selection as a senior. She was also named the team's Most Improved Player, while she earned the Patty Pierce Award given to the senior who contributed the most to the program during her four years.
A native of Manchester, N.H., Sparks currently resides in Durham with her husband Bob Ekstrand, Duke Law '98, and their daughter Emmaline Mary. Her sister, Stefanie, is a senior co-captain on the women's lacrosse team at Duke.
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