Arcadia University Director of Athletics & Recreation Shirley Liddle is pleased to announce 2008 alumnus, Ken M. Spangenberg, of Clarks Summit, Pa., as the next head coach for the University’s baseball program.

Spangenberg becomes the 5^th full-time head coach since Arcadia’s baseball program began as an NCAA Division III program in 1995.  Spangenberg will also serve as the Event Management Coordinator for the Knight’s 15 athletic teams. 

A four year starter on the Knight’s Baseball team, playing under then tenured head coach Stan Exeter, Spangenberg emulated the Division III student-athlete through his exemplary leadership both on and off the field and through his pursuit of academic excellence. 

Spangenberg finished his collegiate career with All Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Second Team honors (2008), All Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) First Team honors (2007), and All PAC Honorable Mention (2006).  He achieved a career batting average of .355 and is the program record holder for career triples (16).  He also is a three-time selectee to the conference All Academic Team.  As a team member from 2005-2008, he helped the Knights to four consecutive playoff appearances as members of the PAC (2005, 2006, 2007) and Freedom Conference (2008). He also served as the treasurer of Arcadia’s Society for the Advancement of the Business Association (S.A.B.A) and was a four-year member of Arcadia’s game management student staff. 

Awarded his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Marketing from Arcadia in May of 2008, Spangenberg participated that summer on the Tri County League’s Limeport Bulls, in Allentown, Pa., finishing as the Rookie of the Year.  Since then, Spangenberg retired his hitting gloves to focus on his professional coaching career that, as he affirms, "has prepared him for his dream job, the opportunity to lead the Knight’s Baseball program." 

Spangenberg is returning to Glenside after serving as a two-year assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at Edgewood College, Madison, Wi.  From 2009 to 2011, Spangenberg led an offense that broke 16 school records and, after being selected to finish 6^th at the start of preseason, the Eagles claimed their first Northern Athletics Conference Championship. While at Edgewood, Spangenberg filled the role of offensive coordinator and infield coach, guiding 8 student-athletes to All Conference accolades and 3 All Region performers.

Prior to joining the Edgewood coaching staff Spangenberg served as an assistant coach at Keystone College, LaPlume, Pa., for the 2008-2009 season, where he worked with the infielders, hitters, and assisted with recruiting. The Giants captured the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Championship coming one game away from the Divison III College World Series while sporting a final record of 40-6.  The team was also ranked as high as fourth in the country that season.

Under Spangenberg, the Keystone offense was first in the nation in scoring, second in runs scored, fourth in batting average, fifth in slugging percentage, eighth in home runs, and 16th in stolen bases. Members of the Giants' infield were honored with conference player of the year, conference rookie of the year, an ABCA-Rawlings Gold Glove award, four All-CSAC selections, one All-Region selection, and one All-American selection.

Through his time spent at Keystone and Edgewood combined, Spangenberg recruited and coached 4 players drafted into the Major League Baseball system, including 2 who signed professional contracts. 

Over the summer months, Spangenberg directed the Verona Summer Baseball Camp, Vernona, Va. (2010-2011) and Philadelphia’s All-Star Baseball Academy (2008-2009).  In the summer of 2009, Spangenberg also took over an Abington Legion team in his hometown that was 4-16 the previous year and led them to a 19-6 overall record and a District title.

Spangenberg’s accomplishments off the baseball diamond include serving as the assistant director of the Eagle Golf Outing, the largest fundraiser benefiting the Edgewood College Athletic Department, as well as co-founding the college’s Sports Marketing Association, geared toward increasing school pride and attendance at home contests.   He recently attained certification as a strength and conditioning specialist and is working toward his master’s degree in Education from Edgewood. 

The newly tabbed head coach is ready to hit the ground running in his new role.  Having been a part of the program in its prime, with seven consecutive post-season berths occurring from 2002-2008, Spangenberg has stayed attuned to the program’s recent struggles.  Over the past three seasons the Knights have gone just 17-88 overall and 5-46 in league play with a disappointing 3-29 season in 2011, the lowest number of wins in the history of the program. 

When asked of his top priorities, Spangenberg responded, “I have one main priority going into our fourth season in the MAC’s Commonwealth Conference and that is to bring back the pride to this program.   After struggling the last few years, it is easy for this team to be negative, but this year will be different.  In a sport like baseball, where failure can occur more than success at times, investment in the process is absolutely crucial.  Our process is what will give us the confidence to keep a level head, make adjustments, and continue to fight when things are not going our way. If we can do this, successes will come.”  

Seeing the main key to the rebuilding process as a great deal of hard work, Spangenberg  geared his professional path toward his desire to one day return to Arcadia to lead the baseball program he once prided himself as a part of.  “I am invested in the growth and sustainability of Arcadia University Baseball and willing to put in the time necessary to bring the program back to prominence,” proclaims the head coach.  “In order to do that, we need one thing: student-athletes of high character, who are ready to come to Arcadia and make sacrifices for the program.  Those young men will allow us to compete at our fullest potential.  No one can guarantee championships, but hard work, dedication and pride can, and will be required.” 

Spangenberg will focus his recruiting efforts on the eastern side of Pennsylvania and all of New Jersey.  He is looking for student-athletes who hail from successful interscholastic programs, those who possess the level of sacrifice needed at the collegiate level in order for success to be realized. 

Because of his experience as a student-athlete at Arcadia, Spangenberg holds a unique perspective on how to lead the program back to prominence and what qualities to look for in prospective student-athletes.  “Arcadia attracts well-rounded student-athletes that love baseball and those who want to be a part of a great program, but at the same time, also those who care about their future beyond college. That is really what college is all about: developing as a person, a student and an athlete.  That is the type of student-athlete that I will be recruiting to this University, young men who understand this vital concept.” 

Specifically, Spangenberg cites focusing his energy on recruiting high character individuals as a priority. “Anyone who has taken a look at our roster knows we are struggling for players.  With that being said, I am not going to mass recruit for the sake of numbers. I am interested in young men who will help lead the Knights to success solely based on their dedication to their own development and to winning baseball games.  There will be a heavy emphasis on pitching for the upcoming season.  A college team simply cannot be competitive with a small amount of pitchers.  That situation puts a lot of stress on the offense to produce more runs and the defense to be perfect, as well as the pitchers themselves because they don’t want to struggle and let the team down.” 

Spangenberg also will look to the alumni of the University’s baseball program for support.  “Another of my goals is to increase alumni involvement.  Dedicating four years of your life to balancing athletics with academic pursuits is something to be commended.  The alumni helped this program achieve prominence and I want them to be involved with the rebuilding process and to feel invested in the program and University.” 

Spangenberg graduated in 2004 from Abington Heights High School where he was a three-year letter winner and two-time All Conference in both baseball and wrestling.  His younger brother Cory was recently drafted by the San Diego Padres with the 10th overall pick in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft in June. 

“Since I began coaching, this position has been my goal,” Spangenberg concludes.  “Every sacrifice I have made in my coaching career was made with this position in mind. To have it now at my age is truly a dream come true.  I will take great pride in the future of this program and that future starts today.”