Parks EWU interim A.D.

Longtime Eastern Washington University coach and administrator Pam Parks has taken over as interim athletic director at the school, replacing Scott Barnes, who left for a position at the University of Washington.

Parks was one of the most successful volleyball coaches in Big Sky Conference history before retiring in the fall of 1999 to become the associate athletic director-senior woman administrator at EWU. She currently is the only female athletic director in the Big Sky.

“Making this transition as easy as possible for our coaches is really the most important thing I can do. That challenge motivated me to make this step,” Parks said in a school release. “I’m excited about the opportunity we have to keep our athletics programs moving on the positive and growing course we’ve set under Scott Barnes.”

Parks had 291 wins in 18 seasons leading the Eagles volleyball program. She had nine winning seasons and guided her team to the NCAA Tournament in 1989 and 1998.

She is one of four coaches in Big Sky history with more than 200 wins.

She also coached Montana State to 19 wins in one season as head coach there and guided Sandpoint High School to a 65-10 record in three seasons, including the state championship in 1980 when the Bulldogs finished 24-1.

Parks said that her experience the past six years as associate A.D.-senior woman administrator will help smooth the transition to the interim role leading the athletic department.