Entering the second season of his second coaching stint at West Liberty University, Mark Spigarelli is in his eighth season overall on the hilltop.
Spigarelli returned to West Liberty in 2022, tasked to coach the nickel position on the defensive side of the ball. Last season’s defensive secondary was highlighted by Shon Stephens who garnered recognition on the regional and national level, the WLU defensive back was named First Team All-MEC, All-Super Region 1, D2CCA All-America, Don Hansen All-American, and D2Football.com Elite 100 Defense.
Spigarelli returned to coaching in his hometown of Bellaire, Ohio in 2016, serving as the head varsity football coach for Bellaire High School from 2016-21. He compiled a record of 39-26 on the sidelines of his former high school, advancing the team to the playoffs in five of his six seasons, including a regional semifinal appearance in 2018. The 2021 Big Reds squad finished with a 10-2 record, securing the school’s first double-digit win season since they went 13-1 with back-to-back state semifinal appearances in 2005 and 2006 when Spigarelli was a varsity assistant coach.
Spigarelli was named the Eastern District Football Coach of the year in 2016 and was also the WTOV9 OVAC Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2021. At Bellaire, he coached current Youngstown State Penguin Colt Sechrest, who played for the Big Reds from 2018-21 and earned First-team Division V All-Ohio selection as a linebacker.
Spigarelli’s first stint with the Black & Gold lasted six seasons, running from 2010-15 as a defensive assistant working with the strong safeties. Highlights of his first coaching stint at WLU include coaching fellow Bellaire native, Jayson Keyser, to Second Team All-WVIAC honors in 2010. A few years later in 2013 he helped lead a West Liberty defense that recorded 17 interceptions, which still ranks tied for ninth most by a team in Mountain East Conference history.
Spigarelli’s football coaching career began in Bellaire in 1997 as an assistant varsity coach, serving in this role till 2008. During his 12 seasons as the BHS assistant, he coached the wide receivers and defensive backs as well as being appointed defensive coordinator in the 2007 and 2008 seasons.
During his time as an assistant coach with the Big Reds, the school was one of the most successful in the Ohio Valley, advancing to the playoffs six times and reaching the state semifinals four times in 1997, 2003, 2005, and 2006. The 2005 and 2006 BHS teams posted undefeated regular seasons before finishing the seasons 13-1.
Spigarelli has been a staple in the Bellaire community his entire life and currently resides there. A 3-sport athlete for the Big Reds, he graduated from Bellaire High School in 1988 before going on to Ohio University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1992 and a Master of Education Administration (K-12) in 1997. Outside of football, Spigarelli has taught special education for 30 years and is currently teaching English and Math to intervention students at Bellaire High School.
