Sparks Named Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia punter Daniel Sparks, a senior majoring in biology, has been named a Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete presented by BuildSubmarines.com.

The Military Bowl STEM Scholar-Athlete Program honors one football player at each university that is a member of the ACC and the American Athletic Conference – the two conferences that are represented in the Military Bowl college football game. These players are studying STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects and/or aspire to STEM careers.

Sparks, who is from Gadsden, Alabama, has a 3.0 grade-point average and was listed on the ACC All-Academic team last season. Sparks garnered Second Team All-ACC honors in 2022 after he matched the UVA single-season punting average record (45.9) which led the ACC. He was voted a team captain for the second-straight year and finished the 2023 season with 2,746 punting yards, the ninth-most in FBS. His 70-yard punt against Boston College was tied for the longest by any ACC punter this season.