St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Spann as the new head coach of the men’s basketball program for the Long Island Campus located in Patchogue, New York.

"Coach Kevin Spann has a strong basketball pedigree and is extremely knowledgeable of the game," said Shantey Hill, director of athletics and recreation for the Long Island Campus of SJC. "A rising talent with the energy and vision we need to take our men’s basketball program to the next level, Coach Spann has been a winner and leader on all levels he’s encompassed and I’m extremely confident he will be committed to developing our student-athletes, not only as basketball players, but also as men. We are excited to have Coach Spann join our Golden Eagle family and look forward to supporting his success."

Spann, who hails from West Babylon, began his collegiate coaching career at Division II’s LIU-Post as an assistant under head coach Tim Cluess in 2009 for a team that went 23-6 and made an appearance in the East Coast Conference Championship game. Currently, he leaves the sidelines of St. John the Baptist as the assistant coach of the varsity and head coach of the junior varsity squads, where he coached for the past two years. He takes over a Golden Eagle team that finished the 2013-2014 season with a 9-17 overall record and suffered a quarterfinal loss in the Skyline Conference Tournament.

"I would like to thank the St Joseph’s administration and athletic director Shantey Hill for giving me an opportunity to come in as a head coach," said Spann. "The team is filled with talent and endless potential to be a Skyline Conference contender. I didn’t come here to be average or to fail, my intention is to succeed with the players in the program, and build a rich tradition of winning for years to come."

As a player, Spann boasted 1,000 points at both the high school and collegiate levels. His career as a college student-athlete began at Division I’s St. Peter’s College, where he played in 62 games, averaging 7.7 points (475 total) and 2.9 assists per game. He later moved on to LIU-Post, where he played in 60 games over two seasons, averaging 10.5 points (632 total) and 3.6 assists per game, winning two East Coast Conference Championships and an NCAA Division II Regional Championship. Spann’s playing days were not finished after college, however, as he spent two and a half years as a professional player for Harlem Globetrotters International Inc., serving as the captain of the Washington Generals for two international tours and promoted to the Harlem Globetrotters for a tour.

The Golden Eagles are scheduled to open their season on November 15 at the Rose City Tip-off Classic hosted by Drew University with their first home contest to occur on Wednesday, November 19 against Medgar Evers College.

For more information about SJC’s Long Island Campus Athletics programs, visit www.sjceagles.com.

What They’re Saying About Coach Spann

"St. Joseph’s College is lucky to have Coach Kevin Spann. He is an eager hardworking coach with a high level IQ and truly knows the game as I’ve learned by playing with and against him. Coach Spann is a high energy, charismatic coach who the players will love to play for and will be a good fit for them on and off the court." Danny Green, NBA Player, San Antonio Spurs

"St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School is proud of Kevin Spann who is both an alumni and former coach. Coach Spann did a great job with us and was tremendous with the students as well as his peers. He is extremely professional and we are happy for him." Ralph Dalton, Director of Athletics, St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School

"Hiring Coach Kevin Spann was the best move SJC could have made. He is young, fresh, well spoken, full of energy and knows the game. He will represent the school well and be great with the players. As a peer, I look forward to seeing Coach Spann on the trail and supporting him with anything he needs." Erik Smiles, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, LIU-Post

"Kevin Spann was a terrific player and a better coach. He was an asset on the court and in the locker room. He is a go getter and a winner. He will be great on the recruiting trail and has an extremely bright future. I am thrilled for Kevin and SJC.’ Tim Cluess, Head Basketball Coach, Iona College

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