Spanellis comes to Erie with 9 years of coaching experience, including 7 at the collegiate level. His most recent stop came at his alma mater – Dickinson College. As a 2016 graduate of Dickinson, Spanellis contributed to the program during an Elite Eight run in the 2013-2014 season and a 2014-2015 season that produced another Sweet 16 berth, as well the Division III National player of the year (Gerry Wixted). In his return to the sidelines at Dickinson, Spanellis spearheaded recruiting, including bringing in two All Centennial-Conference players - (Nate Ogbu - G ‘24, and David Petrusev ‘25). His final 2 years at Dickinson led to 2 straight conference playoff appearances - the first time the program accomplished this feat since 2017-2018. Prior to Dickinson, Spanellis spent two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. During the 2021-2022 season, the Cardinals won their first ever NESCAC regular season title as well as their second NESCAC tournament title in school history. The Cardinals also set a program record for wins in a season at the time, posting a final record of 25-4, all while advancing to the NCAA 2nd Round. 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. As recruiting coordinator, Spanellis helped to recruit 3 All-NESCAC players while at Wesleyan - Nicky Johnson (‘25), Shane Regan (‘25), and Jackson Cormier (‘26). Shane Regan also went on to become a 1,000 point scorer, All-Region and an All-American performer, as well as the NESCAC’s leading scorer in 2024. Nicky Johnson’s other honors included being named to 2 All-Region teams, as well as being an All-American, 1,000 point scorer, and graduating as the school’s record-holder for both assists and steals.
Prior to his time at Wesleyan, Spanellis spent two seasons with the men’s basketball program at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He played a key role in the program’s transition to NCAA Division III status and was instrumental in Pratt’s turnaround. The team improved from a 7–15 record before his arrival to a 15–9 finish in the 2019–20 season—the program’s first winning season and highest win total since 1978–79.
Spanellis had a significant impact on both player development and recruiting. His on-court work contributed to the emergence of standout freshman Griffin Levine, who led the ACAA in scoring at 20.7 points per game in 2018–19 and was named both ACAA Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ACAA.
As recruiting coordinator, Spanellis helped to bring in a landmark class in 2019, which contributed heavily to the successful 2019-20 campaign. This class was led by graduate transfer combo guard King Turnbull (Second Team All-Conference 12.8 ppg/6.0 rpg/3.5 apg), as well as several freshmen making immediate impacts: Patrick O’Gorman (15.2 ppg - second on the team and sixth in the ACAA), Ace Bibbs (12.6 ppg/5.6 rpg) and Arthur Palaci-Zani (2.1 bpg - first in the ACAA and fifth among Division III freshmen). O’Gorman would go on to become a 1,000 point scorer, as well as a 3-time All-Conference player. O’Gorman went on to lead the conference in scoring twice (2019, 2022) . Spanellis also recruited Cam Hatcher (’25) - who was named the Coast to Coast Conference Rookie of the Year in 2021-2022, as well as earning All-Conference honors in 2023. Prior to Pratt, Spanellis had a successful stint as the head Junior Varsity coach at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore, Md. In 2017-18, Spanellis led the Cardinals to a 27-3 record, along with an MIAA State-Championship and a Baltimore Catholic League Championship.
Spanellis received his Master’s degree in Education & Human Development from Wesleyan University in 2022, to go along with his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology that he received at Dickinson in 2016.
