Story: Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations
Building a perpetually successful program the right way, as well as the partnerships and friendships he and his family have fostered in Morehead, have always been at the forefront of Morehead State head men’s basketball coach Preston Spradlin‘s priority list.
After leading the program to its first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title in nearly 40 years and the third consecutive 20+ win campaign, Spradlin will have even more of an opportunity to make those priorities continue to be reality. Spradlin has earned a contract extension to lead the Eagles though the 2026-27 season.
“My family and I are tremendously grateful for the commitment our administration has made to this staff and the continued success of our program. Representing this University and living in the Morehead community over the past nine years has been an incredible blessing, and we look forward to growing our family and basketball program for years to come,” Spradlin said. “We are thankful for our fans and the meaningful relationships we have built throughout the community. Their loyal support has made it an easy decision for us to continue to serve and live out our purpose by leading this program.”
Spradlin completed his sixth season as full-time head coach in 2023-23 after spending the majority of the 2016-17 season as interim head coach. He has been at MSU for nine seasons overall (starting in 2014-15) and completed his 14th year working with a Division I program after serving five years on head coach John Calipari’s Kentucky staff. Among the 10 current league head coaches, Spradlin ranks first in total wins at his respective school, overall winning percentage, OVC wins and OVC winning percentage.
“We are excited to be able to support Preston, the staff, and ultimately the young men who represent Morehead State in a first-class manner,” said Director of Athletics Dr. Jaime Gordon. “Preston has done an outstanding job of building a championship program with integrity and the best interest of our students at the heart of their culture. Coach Spradlin embodies what it means to be an Eagle, and we are excited to have him continue to build a legacy at MSU. I am proud to have him leading our basketball program for the foreseeable future.”
Spradlin, and his staff, leading the Eagles to three straight 20-win seasons is quite an accomplishment. It’s an occurrence that has only happened once before in program history. He guided the program to its first outright OVC regular-season title in 39 years in 2022-23. The Eagles also appeared in the NIT for the first time ever and won a first-round game at ACC power Clemson. Spradlin was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 18 Coach of the Year as well as the OVC Coach of the Year. Spradlin helped lead Mark Freeman to being crowned OVC Player of the Year and First-Team All-OVC as well as Alex Gross becoming just the third Eagle ever to win OVC Defensive Player of the Year.
“The culture, foundation and future of our program have never been stronger, and so much of that credit belongs to the players and staff,” he said. “Our success is dependent upon leadership, and our coaches are among some of the best in the country at evaluating, recruiting, developing and mentoring players that fit our program and represent our University at a high level. I am excited that our administration has rewarded the extraordinary work our coaches have done.”
Spradlin led the Eagle program to prominence in 2020-21, winning the program’s first OVC Tournament championship in 10 years and leading the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament with a 23-8 record. For his efforts, along with the staff’s work, he was named OVC Coach of the Year. He was also named the NABC District 18 Coach of the Year as well as to the Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year Finalist list and the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Finalist list. Spradlin helped coach Johni Broome to multiple conference and national honors, including OVC Freshman of the Year and to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-American Team.
He continued 2020-21’s successes into 2021-22, where the Eagles once again won 23 games (23-11) and advanced to the OVC Tournament Championship game. Spradlin’s team ranked among the best in the league in defense and rebounding, with Broome and Ta’Lon Cooper both earning First-Team All-OVC.
Spradlin officially took on the interim head coaching position on Dec. 15, 2016, nine games into the 2016-17 season after the Eagles opened with a 2-7 record. He then guided Morehead State to a 12-9 record the rest of the way and a 10-6 mark in OVC play, which ranked second in the league. At the conclusion of the season, he finished second to Belmont’s Rick Byrd in OVC Coach of the Year voting.
Under his guidance, Xavier Moon, DeJuan Marrero, Jordan Walker, LaMontray Harris, Broome, Ta’Lon Cooper, DeVon Cooper, Skyelar Potter, Freeman and Gross have all been named All-OVC.
Following the 2015-16 season, Spradlin was named to the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) 2016 Under Armour 30-Under-30-Team, which recognizes 30 men’s basketball coaches across the country that are under the age of 30.
In 2015-16, he helped lead the Eagles to a 23-14 overall record and a second-place finish in the College Basketball Invitational, taking Nevada to the title series’ final game.
Spradlin worked with the Dominican Republic National Team during the summers of 2011 and 2012. The squad reached its highest finish and won the bronze medal in the Tournament of the America’s Olympic Qualifier in 2011 and came within one game of qualifying for the 2012 Olympics.
Spradlin earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Alice Lloyd (Ky.) in 2009 and master’s degree in kinesiology and health promotion, with a sports leadership emphasis, from Kentucky in 2011. He was a four-year men’s basketball letter winner for the NAIA ALC Eagles from 2005-09.
Spradlin, a 2005 graduate of Betsy Layne High School (Ky.), is married to the former Misty Tackett. The couple has one son, Bentley, and one daughter, Aubrey.
