Entering his third season as the University of Mary wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator, Tony “TS” Spencer brought a wealth of successful collegiate coaching experience to the Marauders program when he joined the staff prior to the 2011 season.
In his first two years at U-Mary, Spencer coached five all-conference performers (three wide receivers, two special teams) including three first-team selections. Under Spencer’s tutelage wide receiver Tyler Steffan developed into U-Mary’s first NCAA All-American when he was selected to the 2011 AFCA team. Steffan set a school record with 17 touchdown receptions and twice caught four scoring passes in a single game. In 2012 sophomore Elby Pope earned All-Northern Sun first team honors after finishing third in the league in catches and receiving yardage and fifth in all-purpose yardage.
Well-known to the Marauders staff prior to arriving in Bismarck, Spencer competed against U-Mary when he played and coached at Carroll College. During his time with the Saints he worked with three Marauders coaches (current linebackers coach Gary Cooper and former defensive coordinators Mike McMahon and Jason Petrino).
Spencer comes to the Marauders after six seasons as the offensive line coach at NCAA Division I FCS University of South Dakota (2005-11). While at USD, the Coyotes offense finished among the nation’s leaders in several categories. The Coyotes ranked as high as fifth nationally in total offense (460.3 yards per game in 2009), fourth in scoring (37.5 points per game in 2008), and fourth in rushing yards (253.4 yards per game in 2006 and 297.5 yards per game in 2005).
During his tenure with the Coyotes, Spencer coached 14 all-conference linemen, two Cactus Bowl participants, a Rimington Award winner, two finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award and four All-Americans.
Prior to his arrival at USD, Spencer served as a graduate assistant and coached the offensive line at NCAA Division I University of Wyoming under Joe Glenn in 2003-04. During his two seasons with the Cowboys, Spencer coached Chase Johnson, who later was a member of the Minnesota Vikings. He also helped coach Wyoming to a 24-21 win over UCLA in the 2004 Pioneer Pure Vision Bowl.
Spencer began his coaching career at his alma mater, Carroll College. He started as an assistant defensive backs coach for the Fighting Saints in 1996 and served as the wide receivers coach from 1999-2002. Carroll won a national NAIA title in 2002.
A two-way starter, Spencer starred at Carroll College in 1994-95. He earned second team All-American honors and first-team all-conference recognition as a defensive back and was named to the second-team all-conference squad as a wide receiver. Spencer led the nation in interceptions per game his senior season.
Spencer earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Carroll College in 1996 and his master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from South Dakota in 2011.
