Army head coach Zach Spiker is reportedly leaving West Point after seven seasons to become the new head coach of the Drexel Dragons. Spiker is fresh off a CIT appearance in 2016, the first postseason appearance for the Black Knights since Mike Krzyzewski took them to the NIT in 1978.
Speaking of Krzyzewski, Spiker joined elite company at Army when he became just the third head coach in program history to win at least 65 games in his first five seasons. The other two are Coach K and his mentor, three-time national champion Bob Knight.
Drexel is hoping that Spiker’s success will continue in Philadelphia. The Dragons haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1996 but were a regular NIT participant under former head coach Bruiser Flint. The school let Flint go this month after fifteen seasons and just one CAA title. The Dragons finished this past season just 6-25 and just one game from the bottom of the conference.
Army has an impressive history of kickstarting the careers of head coaches, but it has been some time since a coach head the success that Spiker had while actually at West Point. Spiker leaves with a 102-112 overall record that is all the more impressive when compared to other recent Army head coaches who have gone on to bigger and better gigs. Jim Crews (2002-2009) was just 59-140 when he left for Saint Louis, while Dino Gaudio‘s four-year tenure saw him finish 36-72.
