Mercyhurst University Athletics

Joe Spano enters his 25th year overall at Mercyhurst and his first full year as the Director of Athletics. During his short time in his current position, Spano has proved instrumental in helping further the cause of athletics at Mercyhurst with the university's newest sport, Esports, as well as helping the university make the transition to being a Division I institute.

Spano spent 24 season at the helm of Mercyhurst's baseball program. Under Spano's tutelage, the Lakers have appeared in the NCAA Tournament on 11 occasions while making it to the College World Series three times. After leading his squad to a number-one ranking in several Division II national polls in 2017, Spano coached the 2018 and 2019 teams to two Regional Championships and World Series appearances.

2023 was a year in which the Lakers advanced to the Atlantic Regional for the 11th time under Spano. The team finished with a record of 30-17 on the season, going 21-7 in PSAC play for their most wins in conference since 2017. The Lakers were a strong opponent on their own turf on the season, going 16-2 in home games for their best winning percentage at home since 2016 when the team finished 20-2. The month of April was one that was very kind to the team, going 17-6 in the month to help them to the three seed in the PSAC West.

The 2022 season saw the Lakers make a late-season push, finishing 31-18 overall with a 16-12 mark in the PSAC. His squad hit 89 home runs that year, the most of any PSAC school, while having the second-highest slugging percentage in the conference at .534%. 

In 2021, the Lakers played a shortened season going 27-15 overall and 17-10 in PSAC West play to help make the PSAC playoffs.

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 season was canceled after eight games. The team did, however, produce another All-American in Michael Karuza who was named to the ABCA Second Team as a relief pitcher.

In 2019, the Lakers won their second-ever College World Series game and tallied another to make it to the Final Four for the first time in program history. Mercyhurst finished the season with a 36-16 mark overall and 14-8 PSAC record.

Under Spano's leadership, the 2017 Lakers finished 38-8 overall and 21-3 in PSAC conference play. The Lakers were the top-seeded team in the PSAC Tournament and hosted the 2017 NCAA Atlantic Regional in Jamestown, N.Y. Spano was awarded his fourth PSAC West Coach of the Year award for his leadership in 2017.

Spano is the all-time wins leader in program history with 742 victories, winning 30 or more games in 15 of his 24 seasons as the head coach of the Lakers, seeing nine of those come in a row from 2011-19. He led the Lakers to their highest season win total in 2016 (43) and the program's first NCAA Atlantic Region title and College World Series appearance in 2015. He is also a two-time Atlantic Region Coach of the Year recipient.

15 Lakers have gone on to be drafted into Major League Baseball under Spano. Pitcher Dan Altavilla is the highest draft pick in program history going in the fifth round at 141st overall to the Seattle Mariners. The team has had 113 all-conference members since Spano took over as the head coach with nine Pitcher of Year, three Athlete of the Year, and three Freshman of the Year honorees. Spano himself has been named the conference Coach of the Year on five occasions with his most recent coming in 2017 when the Lakers swept all four of the major PSAC West awards. Spano has also been a recipient of the Chuck Tanner National Collegiate Coach award, winning the honor in 2014 after the team finished 30-15.

Spano came to Mercyhurst in January of 1998 after former head coach Joe Jordano was hired by the University of Pittsburgh. He played for two years at Division I Boston University before moving on to Division II Lewis University. He made the Great Lakes Valley All-Conference and North Central All-Region teams 1997, batting .383, hitting 14 home runs, and knocking in 51 runners. His Lewis University teams went a combined 77-36 in two years, made the NCAA Regional playoffs in 1996, and won the GLVC North his senior year. He also saw time on the mound for the Flyers, appearing in four games. He finished with a 2.45 ERA over his 3.2 innings of work.

While at Lewis, Spano spent three summers in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League, an NCAA-sanctioned wooden bat league. In 1996 he finished fifth in the league in batting with a .342 average. Following his days at Lewis, he played one season with the DuBois County Dragons of the Independent Heartland League.

Spano holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Lewis University and earned his Master's certificate from Mercyhurst in 2000 before earning his Master's of Science in 2012. Spano's wife, the former Tina McMahon, attended Lewis University with him. The Spanos have two daughters and two sons. Daughter Jillian was born in May of 2001, son Joseph was born in December 2005, Natalie was born in October 2007, and Nico in July 2011.

Spano's Record At Mercyhurst:
Overall and in the GLIAC

Mercyhurst's Top 10 Winningest Seasons:
Wins  Head Coach  Year
43  Joe Spano    2016
42  Joe Spano    2011
40  Joe Spano    2015
40  Joe Jordano  1997
39  Joe Spano    2012
38  Joe Spano    2017
38  Joe Spano    2009
38  Joe Spano    2006
36  Joe Spano    2018
36  Joe Spano    2019