Dickinson men’s basketball head coach Alan Seretti has made a new addition to his coaching staff for next season as Dickinson alumnus Derek Spanellis ’16 has been named the new Assistant Coach for the program.
Spanellis, a 2016 graduate of Dickinson with a degree in Psychology and served as a student-assistant coach with the Red Devils. While in Carlisle he worked with the staff in day-to-day operations including film breakdown, scouting, contributions to the offseason lifting program, as well as calculating and interpreting analytics. Over the course of Spanellis’ three years on staff, the Red Devils made the Centennial Conference Tournament every year and won the conference title in 2014-15 while also reaching the semi-finals in 2015-16. The 2014-15 Dickinson squad reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 and featured Division III National Player of the Year, Gerry Wixted.
Spanellis returns to Carlisle, PA after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. During the 2021-2022 season, the Cardinals won their second NESCAC title in school history while advancing to the NCAA 2nd Round with a 25-4 record. Spanellis played a large role in the development of 1st team All-American and NESCAC Player of the Year Sam Peek and the recognition of head coach Joe Reilly, as both the NESCAC and Regional Coach of the Year. Spanellis recruited first-year starter Nicky Johnson and aided in the growth of 2nd Team All-NESCAC performer Jordan James.
Previous to his time at Wesleyan, Spanellis spent two years with the men’s basketball program at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. At Pratt, Spanellis served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator under former Cardinals’ assistant Max Sass. Spanellis’ first season on the Pratt sidelines saw on-court improvement, as the Cannoneers finished with a 10-10 record, following a 7-15 record in the prior season. Spanellis played an integral role in player development, including his work with then-freshman Griffin Levine, who in 2018-19 averaged 20.7 points per game (first in the ACAA) and was named the conference’s Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ACAA selection. As recruiting coordinator, Spanellis helped to bring in a landmark class in 2019, which contributed heavily to a 2019-20 campaign that ended with a 15-9 record. This stands in the Pratt record books as the first season over .500 and the most wins since 1978-79.
Spanellis had this to say about returning to his old stomping grounds “Dickinson men’s basketball means a lot to me. When I was at a pivotal point in my life this program took me in and made me a part of the family. My time working with coach Seretti and his staff gave me a sense of direction and ignited inside of me a passion for coaching.” He went on to add “I have been extremely fortunate to take that passion and turn it into a career, and I am incredibly thankful that my path has led me back to Carlisle. I am excited for the opportunity to bring all my experience back to this great program and help my alma mater pursue a Centennial Conference title with the ultimate goal of reaching national prominence.”
Coach Seretti also added his thoughts about bringing Spanellis back to Carlisle saying “We are thrilled to bring Derek back to Dickinson where his coaching career began. He helped us build a championship program as a student-assistant coach and most recently aided Wesleyan University to a NESCAC title as well as an NCAA Tournament berth.” He went on adding “along with his championship pedigree, Derek brings an incredible work ethic, knowledge of the game and understanding of what it takes to get better. We cannot wait to see him back on the sidelines at the Kline Center!”
Spanellis began his time with the Devils on July 14th.
https://www.dickinsonathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2021-22/releases/20220719mh02el
