Sparkill, N.Y. - Heading into his third season at St. Thomas Aquinas College, men’s basketball head coach Matt Capell is excited to announce the following promotions and staff additions for the 2024-25 campaign.

Top assistant D’Vonne Trumbo has been promoted to associate head coach, following two seasons on staff that saw the Spartans amass an overall 51-11 record.  During his tenure in Sparkill, Trumbo has made an impact in all aspects of the program, especially with on court instruction, game day preparation, and recruiting.  Prior to joining the staff in 2022, Trumbo spent one season as an assistant at Stonehill College, and one season at national prep power St. Thomas More.

Marcel Pettway has been elevated to Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator after two successful years on staff.  While assisting in all facets of the program, Pettway will take over the coordination of recruiting activities and handling of all future Spartan elite camps.  Before his time in Sparkill, he served on staff as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Angelo State.

In his second season and second stint under the current leadership, Connor Birchard has been elevated to Assistant Coach - Player Development.  Birchard has taken the lead on individual instruction within the program, and is in his fifth year overall with the Spartans.  He previously spent two seasons as the lead graduate assistant and was an undergrad student manager at Fordham University.

Matt Backs will retain his title as assistant coach with the Spartans following a successful nine-year stint as the head coach at Clarkstown South high school.  Brayan Anaman remains with the program, but has been elevated to graduate assistant.  Ibrahim Conteh will enter his second season as Student Assistant - Digital Content Creator.

New additions to the staff are Josh Lehman and Josh Altabet.  Lehman will serve as the program’s Video Coordinator after serving as a graduate assistant and student manager at his alma mater, Binghamton University.  Altabet will join the Spartans as a student assistant and will assist with practices and game day preparation.

The Spartans open up their new season at the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Lakeland, Florida on November 2 (University of North Georgia - 8:00 p.m.) and November 3 (Nova Southeastern University - 3:30 p.m.).