St. Joseph grad Julie Spinelli ramps up her game in 2nd season with Frostburg State women's basketball

For the past couple of seasons, Frostburg State’s Emilee Weakley was one of the top Division II players in the country. Named a two-time All-American by several outlets, Weakley averaged 26.1 points per game for her career and finished as the women’s basketball team’s all-time leading scorer (2,243 points).

But Weakley has graduated. Many of the players who saw the lion’s share of the minutes last season also have moved on, so third-year coach Jenna Eckleberry needed others to step up. One of the players she is leaning on heavily is St. Joseph grad Julie Spinelli.

Spinelli started all but one game during her freshman season and averaged 10.1 points. Of the 10 players who averaged the most minutes for the Bobcats last season, Spinelli was the only one who returned.

In the early going, she has shown she is ready to take over where Weakley left off.

Heading into Wednesday’s Mountain East Conference game at Concord, Spinelli was averaging a team-leading 15.1 points and contributing 6.6 rebounds per game. She opened the season with her first collegiate 20-point game (21 in a win over Pitt-Johnstown) and, Dec. 1 in a win over Mansfield, she netted a career-high 27 points (with 10 rebounds) on 11-of-19 shooting.

“I was just aggressive early on, and I think that kind of got me into the flow of the game,” Spinelli said. “And I think, overall, the team played very well. We all worked together really well, and it was just a good atmosphere in the game, a good environment, and that always helps, too.”

Added Eckleberry: “Of all the kids I coached, Julie was one of the ones that kept progressing every day in practice and games as a freshman. I definitely think she has grown into an all-around player. I think the biggest thing is she’s taken on a lot more responsibility as, quote, our best player on the court and definitely stepping up in the leadership role.”

When she recruited Spinelli, Eckleberry said she envisioned her as someone who was good at driving to the basket and using her athleticism to score in the paint. But last season, with defenses collapsing on Weakley, Eckleberry said, Spinelli started shooting outside a little more. Maybe too much.

Spinelli still has the green light to shoot from longer range, but Eckleberry wants to see her using her close-to-the-basket game more.

“I wanted her to go back to being more of a driver, get to the free-throw line, use her athleticism and do all kinds of things,” the coach said. “She has such a pretty pull-up jump shot.”

Decision-making will be another step in Spinelli’s development. While she knows she has the freedom to look for her offense, sometimes, she said, she hesitates on what might be the best option.

Further, Eckleberry is trying to instill in her that there are times it is OK for her to be a little selfish with the ball.

“Sometimes she gets passive,” Eckleberry said, “and that’s the thing I want to drill in her head not to do. … Once she gets going, it’s going to be a long night for the opponent.”

Added Spinelli: “There’s a lot of times when I’m open and at the last second, can’t decide which way to go and then I panic and it turns into me just throwing the ball up or something. So I think it’s just me being more confident in taking my shot.”

With a roster heavy on freshmen and sophomores, the Bobcats (4-4, 1-1 MEC) might have some ups and downs. But Eckleberry believes hers will be a team no one wants to contend with come the second semester. And Spinelli figures to be right in the middle of it.

“I definitely think we have a very hard work ethic,” Spinelli said, “and I think everyone gives their full effort every practice and every game. And that’s hard to find. You never feel like nobody cares. … If everyone keeps working as hard as we’re working, we have so much potential for the future.”