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Michigan State hires former Virginia Tech director of player personnel Lino Lupinetti

On3 imageby: Noah Sprunger08/23/23On3Noah
Lino Lup
Image via Instagram/Lino Lupinetti

Michigan State added another piece to its revamped recruiting department on Wednesday. Former Virginia Tech director of player personnel Lino Lupinetti has joined the Spartan staff as director of recruiting and personnel strategy.

Lupinetti joined the Hokies’ staff in 2019 as a recruiting assistant. He spent two years in that role before receiving a promotion to assistant director of personnel and recruiting.

Michigan State executive director of player personnel and recruiting, Mark Diethorn, was in charge of Virginia Tech’s recruiting department at the time.

After the firing of head coach Justin Fuente in 2021, Diethorn stepped away from football for one season to regroup and refocus. In his place, Lupinetti was again promoted within the Hokies’ recruiting department. He took on the title of director of player personnel, the role previously held by Diethorn.

Lupinetti and Diethorn first crossed paths at Pittsburgh in 2017. At the time, Diethorn was the Panthers’ director of recruiting. Lupinetti worked as a student assistant under Diethorn’s direction.

The two will now reunite for a third time, with Lupinetti following Diethorn to East Lansing. Lupinetti announced his departure from Virgina Tech in May 2023. His contract expired this month.

Michigan State’s recruiting department underwent a significant overhaul following the departure of many staff members this offseason. Notably, general manager and executive director of player personnel Saeed Khalif’s contract was allowed to run out.

Other members of the Michigan State recruiting department, such as recruiting coordinator Jensen Gebhardt, assistant director of recruiting Marcus Berry, director of community and high school relations Thomas Wilcher and recruiting personnel specialist James Kirkland, will not return in 2023.

Diethorn retained Sean Levy and promoted him to director of player personnel. Levy ran the recruiting department in the interim while the search to replace Khalif was conducted.

Lupinetti is the fifth addition to Diethorn’s recruiting department, joining assistant director of player personnel Sam Kukura, director of on-campus recruiting Jenna Learn, director of recruiting operations Tyler Johnson and director of scouting Darius Hicks.

Michigan State has also upgraded its creative department. Derek Blalock was named football creative director in February 2023. Dylan Gray and Matt Whipple joined Blalock’s department as assistant directors of football creative.

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