Robert Spies became just the fifth head coach of the Blue Dragon men’s track and field team and only the third of the women’s team on July 1, 2019.

Through the first four seasons under Spies, the Blue Dragon men’s team has produced seven outdoor and 12 indoor All-Americans. The Blue Dragon women have amassed seven outdoor and seven indoor All-Americans.

While the 2020 outdoor season never materialized with the Blue Dragons because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Hutchinson’s indoor season produced some impressive performances.

Andrew Kibet won a pair of NJCAA indoor national titles in the Mile run and 1,000 meters. Kibet broke five school records himself, while All-American Sylvestre Kibarar broke the 5,000-meter mark twice and Gabby Collins broke the women’s 1,000-meter record. The Blue Dragon men finished 12th at the indoor nationals.

The 2021 Blue Dragon women’s and men’s track teams accumulated 11 NJCAA All-Americans between in the indoor and outdoor seasons. Men’s distance runner Teagan Flanagan was an NJCAA national runner-up in the indoor 5,000 meters and outdoor 10,000 meters. He was sixth in the indoor 3,000 meters and fifth in the outdoor 5,000 meters. Flanagan set school records in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

Also earning NJCAA All-America honors in 2021 were Erick Johnson (indoor triple jump), Zack Biel (indoor and outdoor high jump), Wyatt Thiel (outdoor high jump), Kiana Brown (women’s outdoor pole vault), Violet Martinez (women’s outdoor pole vault) and Patrisha Doll (women’s javelin).

In 2022, Violet Martinez and Louise Cocking were two-time All-Americans – Martinez in the indoor and outdoor pole vault and Cocking in the indoor 3,000 meters and outdoor 10,000 meters. Kiana Brown (indoor pole vault), Simon Steinert (outdoor pole vault), Antonio Cooper (indoor shot put) and Dimetre Brown (indoor long jump) were also All-Americans.

The 2023 indoor season produced one national championship as the Blue Dragon women’s 4x800 relay team of Gracie Lambert, Taylor Hoskinson, Ellie Van Zelfden and Serenity Larson won the indoor national crown as Washburn University in Topeka. The Blue Dragon women’s distance medley relay (Lambert, Keneah Romney, Van Zelfden and Hoskinson) placed eighth to earn honorable mention All-America honors. Madelyn Hernandez was honorable mention after tying for eighth. The Blue Dragon men had three indoor All-Americans (second-team Caleb Manning (4th in triple jump), third-team Dimetre Browne (6th in long jump) and honorable mention Christopher Brown (7th in weight throw). The Blue Dragon women earned two outdoor All-Americans in 2023 – Lushous Davis was a second-team All-American (4th in hammer throw) and Martinez (tied for seventh in the pole vault) for an honorable mention nod.

Prior to Hutchinson, Spies was the head coach at McPherson College. Starting at McPherson in 2013, Spies produced 75 NAIA national qualifiers and 33 NAIA All-Americans. He coached one NAIA national champion, 73 conference champions, 92 all-KCAC performers and more than 60 school records fell in his tenure with the Bulldogs.

From 2011 to 2013, Spies was the head coach at Bethany College in Lindsborg. At Bethany, Spies' teams produced eight NAIA national qualifiers, three All-Americans, 13 conference champions, 58 all-conference performers and 10 school records.

Spies isn't a stranger to the Jayhawk Conference. From 2007 to 2010, he was the head coach at Fort Scott Community College. While at Fort Scott, Spies mentored three NJCAA All-Americans, nine NJCAA national qualifiers, 36 all-Jayhawk East performers and 34 school records fell in those four seasons.

Spies started coaching at Pittsburg State University as an assistant in 2006 and 2007. With the Gorillas Spies coached eight NCAA All-Americans, one NCAA national runner-up, 10 national qualifiers, six conference champions and 18 all-conference performers and five school records fell.

Spies was named the KCAC Coach of the Year three times (2016, 2017 and 2018). He was also the McPherson College Coach of the Year in 2018.

While at Pittsburg State, Spies was also the Student Fitness Facility Supervisor. Before that, from 2001 to 2004, Spies was the Strength and Conditioning coach at Virginia Military Institute.

Spies ran collegiately at Fort Hays State University. He was a 4-time NCAA Division II All-American, a 12-time Conference champion in both the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. While at Fort Hays State, Spies was ranked 14th in the world in the 60 meters, clocking a time of 6.57 seconds during his senior year. He has also competed at the USA National Championship level.

Spies completed a Bachelor's degree in childhood development with a minor in recreation from Pittsburg State. He earned a Master's degree in human health performance and recreation with an emphasis in sport and leisure management.

Robert and his wife, Ermelinda, have two children, Davian and Sofia.