Alice Lloyd College alumna, Preston Spradlin, is an Appalachian native leading young men to success in college basketball. Spradlin grew up in Stanville, KY and graduated from Betsy Layne High School in 2005. Spradlin then attended ALC, where he graduated in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in history. At ALC, Spradlin competed in NAIA basketball for four years as a shooting guard for the ALC Eagles, honing his skills and continually developing his love and passion for the sport.
Spradlin continued his education and basketball career at the University of Kentucky after graduating from ALC. There, he earned a master’s in kinesiology and health promotion, with an emphasis is sports leadership, in 2011, while becoming a part of basketball legend John Calipari’s staff. Spradlin quickly rose through the ranks as an assistant for UK’s basketball program, holding numerous roles and becoming the university’s Assistant Director of Basketball Operations. During his tenure with UK, the basketball program experienced much success, which includes defeating Kansas 67-59 to win the 2012 NCAA Division I National Championship.
Spradlin left UK to take the role of Morehead State University men’s basketball’s assistant coach in 2014. He became the program’s interim head coach in 2016, nine games into the season, and helped the team that started 2-7 finish 12-9 with an overall record of 14-16. Morehead State then named Spradlin the men’s basketball head coach.
As head coach, Spradlin has led the Eagles to four straight twenty-win seasons with records of 23-8, 23-11, 22-12, and, most recently, 26-8. The Eagles are the wins leaders among Kentucky’s eight Division I programs over these past four seasons. Under his leadership, the Eagles have earned two appearances to the NCAA National Tournament. In the 2020-2021, Morehead’s team made the tournament for the first time since the 2010-11 season, and fell to a then No. 3 seeded West Virginia team. This year, the team notched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Ohio Valley Conference.
Spradlin’s team boasts a 26-8 overall record this season, a record number of wins for the program, and is coming off a six-game winning streak. The Ohio Valley Conference title holders are 14-1 at home, 9-7 on the road, and 3-0 at neutral sites. Spradlin hopes to continue the program’s success, and recently inked a contract extension with Morehead that extends him through the 2026-2027 season.
Spradlin is grateful for Alice Lloyd College and the impact ALC has had on his life. When asked how the College prepared him for success, Spradlin praised the Student Work Program and said the work ethic taught along Caney Creek stuck with him. “Work! At ALC that is one of the most important things that you learn from day one- to be mature and responsible enough to balance your academics, athletics, work responsibilities and social life all while working towards your degree and the goals that you have beyond graduation.” The College’s help continued after his graduation in 2009, as Preston lived in ALC’s Caney Cottage on UK’s campus while pursuing his master’s degree.
Alice Lloyd College is proud of Spradlin for representing Appalachia and wishes him and his team success in the upcoming NCAA National Tournament.
Photos courtesy of Morehead State University.