Spencer Named Falcon Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Spencer Named Falcon Head Men’s Basketball Coach

August 23, 2010

Saint Augustine’s College has announced the hiring of Ken Spencer as the new head men’s basketball coach Monday. Spencer takes over a program that won the CIAA championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament while claiming the highest team grade point average for men’s basketball in the 2009-2010 season.

“Coach Ken Spencer comes to Saint Augustine’s College with the experience, the capacity, and the zeal to continue the winning tradition established by this men’s basketball team”, said President Dianne Boardley Suber.  “My expectations of the program under his leadership are high, and I eagerly anticipate the positive results he will deliver as head men’s basketball coach”, she said.

Spencer spent four seasons at Winston-Salem State University as associate head coach in charge of recruiting. During his tenure at WSSU, Spencer developed a reputation for recruiting top-tier student-athletes.

"We are very pleased that Ken Spencer has agreed to become the head men's basketball coach at Saint Augustine’s College," athletics director George Williams said. "Coach Spencer’s wealth of life experiences has led him to develop many of the qualities that we were looking for in a head coach. Above all, Coach Spencer is a terrific teacher and a leader of young men. I think he is the perfect fit to lead our men's basketball program."

Prior to his time at WSSU, Spencer built a powerhouse as men’s basketball coach at Marlboro County High School in Bennettsville, S.C. In eight seasons, Marlboro County High was 173-51 overall, appeared in three state title games and won the state championship in 2001.

Spencer coached Marlboro County High to six consecutive region crowns. The winningest coach in the history of Marlboro County High, Spencer was named South Carolina coach of the year by the National Federation of High Schools in 2001. He was the South Carolina AAAA coach of the year in 2000 and 2005, the South Carolina Statewide coach of the year in 2001, and a six-time winner of the Region V AAAA Coach of the Year award.

Before arriving at Marlboro County High, Spencer coached two years at Scotland County High School in Laurinburg, N.C. Spencer’s teams at Scotland County and Marlboro County qualified for the state tournament each year. He coached over 20 high school players who earned college scholarships.

“I really feel blessed and give honor to God for his uncommon favor in blessing me with this position,” Spencer said. “I am so excited about my head coaching opportunity at Saint Augustine’s College. I am walking into a college that has rich tradition and is used to winning. I want to thank Dr. Suber and Coach Williams for their support. I am really proud and humbled that they blessed me with this opportunity.”

Before becoming a high school coach, Spencer served as a student assistant coach at Pembroke State (1992-93) under Dan Kenney and John Haskins and as a graduate assistant coach at Fayetteville State (1991-92) under Jeff Capel.

Before entering the coaching ranks, Spencer was a standout basketball player at UNC-Pembroke, finishing his career as the school’s three-point field goal leader. A four-year letterman, Spencer was captain on the UNCP team that won the Carolinas Conference championship during his senior season. He was named to the league’s All-Tournament team that same season.

Spencer was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army after college and served in the Reserves for ten years.

Spencer has a bachelor's degree in business management from UNC-Pembroke (1991). He returned to UNCP to obtain a physical education degree with teacher certification in 1992-1993.

The son of Levon and Josephine Spencer of Eagle Springs N.C., Spencer is the youngest of seven children. He graduated from Pinecrest High School in Southern Pines, N.C., where he was a teammate of current WSSU men’s basketball coach Bobby Collins. A two-time All-Conference selection, Spencer was an honorable mention All-State pick as a senior in 1986 after leading the team to the state 4-A semifinals. The head coach of that team was Jeff Capel, who is now an assistant with the Charlotte Bobcats.

Spencer and his wife Ellen have two children, K.J. (23) and Karmen (17).