Spence Nowinsky

Spence Nowinsky joined the Lobo Football program in January of 2025, and he serves as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for UNM.  He comes to New Mexico after serving as the defensive coordinator at Memphis.

Nowinsky has been a Division I defensive coordinator every year since 2009.  In a career that started in coaching in 1999 at Wisconsin, Nowinsky has developed a reputation for teams displaying a hard-nosed style that features plenty of game-changing ability.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

MEMPHIS (2024): Nowinsky spent the 2024 season as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Line Coach for the University of Memphis. The Tigers went 11-2 record on the season and Memphis was ranked No. 24 in the final coaches’ poll.

Nowinsky helped transform Memphis’ defense in his lone season with the Tigers’ rushing defense moving from 79^th the year prior all the way to 18^th.  Overall, the defense went from being ranked 95^th in 2023 to 52^nd.

Defensive end William Whitlow was named AAC First Team All-Conference and Memphis capped off the season with a victory over West Virginia in the Scooter’s Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas.

OHIO (2022-23): Nowinsky spent two seasons with the Ohio Bobcats as the defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach where he would be nominated for the Broyles Award for Assistant Coach of the Year, and where he was named Defensive Coordinator of the Year for the Group of Five.

The 2023 season was a record-breaking one for the Ohio Bobcats’ defense and Nowinsky. In his second year at the helm, Nowinsky’s defense finished No. 4 in the nation, No. 1 among the Group of Five and  the No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference.
Additionally, the Bobcats finished the regular season in the top-10 for every defensive category during the 2023 season. Notably, the defense forced five turnovers during Ohio’s 41-21 victory over Georgia Southern in the 2023 Myrtle Beach Bowl, setting a program record for turnovers forced in a bowl game.

Four defensive Bobcats were named to the All-MAC team, with Bryce Houston and Keye Thompson receiving first team accolades, while Vonnie Watkins and Rayyan Buell were honored with third team distinctions.

In 2022, Nowinsky’s defense was instrumental in the Bobcats’ winning the MAC’s East Division and their appearance in the MAC Championship game. Over the course of his first year, Nowinsky’s defense led the league in fourth-down percentage and was ranked second in turnovers forced in the MAC.

The Bobcats’ defense improved from eight takeaways to 20 in his first season. Additionally, the defense increased the teams’ sack total from 17 to 30 as the defensive also improved from 56 TFLs to 74. Defensive end Jack McCrory earned All-MAC Third Team honors. The squad ended the season with an overtime victory over Wyoming in the 2022 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl.

MIAMI (OH) (2018-21): Nowinsky was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Miami University, in Oxford, Ohio were he had a successful four-year run with the RedHawks.

In his final season with Miami, the RedHawks led the MAC in scoring defense, rushing defense, and sacks. That defense was a key as the Miami earned its first bowl victory in over a decade, using a dominant defensive performance to defeat North Texas in the inaugural Frisco Bowl. In that game the defense limited the Mean Green to 317 yards of total offense in the game, 89 yards rushing, 2.8 yards per carry, and 14 points.  The squad forced two early turnovers in the first half that keyed the 27-14 win.

In 2021, Nowinsky coached Co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year and MAC Linebacker of the Year Ivan Pace, who was named Second Team All-American by Action Network as well as named First-Team All-MAC. Nowinsky also coached Matt Salopek, who earned All-MAC Second Team accolades. In total, Nowinsky had seven All-MAC Defense student-athletes during the 2021 season.

Under Nowinsky, the RedHawks’ defense finished in the top half of almost every statistical category in 2018, his first season with the program. Miami finished fourth in scoring defense (25.5), third in rush defense (159.7) and fifth in total defense (368.2), and sacks (29). A year later, in 2019, the defense got even better, finishing second in scoring (22.5), third in total defense (352.9) and first in pass defense (175.9). In 2018, Brad Koenig earned First-Team All-MAC at linebacker and in 2019 Myles Reid recorded Third-Team All-MAC honors as well.

ILLINOIS STATE (2009-17): Nowinsky spent nine seasons with the Illinois State Redbirds including four as the Redbird’s defensive coordinator. He was also the team’s assistant head coach and mentored the defensive line. After taking the helm of the ISU defense, the Redbirds’ defense improved statistically every year. In 2014, the defense allowed an average of 345.5 yards per game. During the 2015 season the Redbirds defense ranked 16^th nationally, allowing 306.7 yards per game. In 2017, ISU ranked 13^th in sacks (33), 14^th in rushing allowed (108.4) and 23^rd in points (19.4).

In four years, ISU’s defense racked up 131 sacks, which helped the Redbird force 70 turnovers in that span. Illinois State was also strong on third downs, allowing a conversion rate of just 34-percent over that timeframe. Under Nowinsky, six players earned first-team all-conference honors and another was a two-time First-Team All-American (2012-13).

EMPORIA STATE (2007-08): Nowinsky spent two years as the associate head coach and defensive line coach at NCAA Division II member Emporia State.

MINNESOTA STATE (2004-06): Nowinsky spent three seasons at his alma mater, Minnesota State, where he coached the defensive line during the 2004 and 2006 seasons. In 2005, Nowinsky coached the Mavericks’ offensive line coach.

IDAHO (2003): Nowinsky’s first full-time coaching position came at the University of Idaho when Idaho was a member of the Western Athletic Conference. He coaches the defensive line for the Vandals.

WISCONSIN (1999-2003): He began his collegiate coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at Wisconsin from 1999-2002 where was worked with Coach Jason Eck. The Badgers won the 2000 Rose Bowl with a 17-9 victory over Stanford. Nowinsky came to Wisconsin after serving as an assistant coach at Wittenberg-Birnamwood (Wis.) High School from 1997-99 and as an assistant at Lake Crystal-Welcome Memorial (Minn.) High School from 1995-97.

PLAYING CAREER – MINNESOTA STATE (1991-94): As a player, Nowinsky played defensive line from 1991-94 at Minnesota State.