Associate Head Coach
Recruiting Coordinator
Matthews is entering his 12th season on staff for Jared Hood and his sixth season as associate head coach. In January 2021, he was promoted to Associate Head Coach and has guided the pitching staff to their best ERA in the NCAA Division III era. In his 12 years, he has served as a recruiter, travel coordinator, and pitching coach. He started his coaching career as a student-assistant in 2016. He has also been a part of four ASC and ABCA "Coaching Staff" of the Year awards.
The 2025 season had two pitchers lead the ASC in ERA as Matthew Irwin was first (3.80) and Tyler Bogusz in second (3.90). Irwin led the ASC in wins (8), games started (15), and innings pitched (83). Jagger Neely was the ASC Tournament MVP, All-ASC First Team, and D3baseball.com All-Region Third Team.ETBU finished second in the ASC in pitching with a 4.89 ERA recording 304 strikeouts.
ETBU led the ASC in pitching in 2024 with a 3.71 ERA earning 14 saves and seven shutouts. Sayers Collins was named the ASC Pitcher of the Year finishing with a 1.34 ERA going 13-1 with 97 strikeouts being named an All-American First Team by both D3baseball.com and the ABCA. Collins was also the ABCA Regional Pitcher of the Year and the Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Year. Peyton Miller (8th, 3.60) and Jagger Neely (9th, 3.66) finished in the top 10 in ERA. Neely was then second in strikeouts with 89 behind Collins. ETBU led the ASC in eight individual pitching categories.
In 2023, Matthews coached the top pitching staff in the ASC with a 4.59 ERA recording 441 strikeouts. Sayers Collins was named the ASC Pitcher of the Year for the second year in a row along with earning his second straight All-American award. Collins broke the ETBU regular season and career record for strikeouts leading the ASC in innings pitched, opposing batting average, strikeouts, and wins. His 12 wins also broke the ETBU single season record.
Overall, Matthews coached five pitchers that earned All-ASC awards in 2023. After Collins, Robert Craft was on the second team as a relief pitcher. Hayden Robichaux (starter) and Jagger Neely (relief) were on the third team and Peyton Miller was named honorable mention.
ETBU led the ASC in pitching for the 2022 season under Matthews as six pitchers earned All-ASC status finishing with a 4.09 ERA and 412 strikeouts. Sayers Collins was named an All-American and the ASC Pitcher of the Year while leading the ASC with 121 strikeouts breaking the ETBU single season record. He also had a 2.55 ERA in 88.1 innings pitched. Trent Clark earned a spot on the All-ASC first team as a relief pitcher recording three saves, a 4-1 record, and 37 strikeouts. Cole Godkin finished as an All-ASC second team starting pitcher selection going 7-2 with a 3.59 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Braden Karnes, Jacob Sherman, and Jagger Neely then were All-ASC honorable mention.
In the 2021 season, his pitching staff recorded the most strikeouts in the ASC with 387 and produced a 4.95 ERA. He coached Isaiah Alvarenga who was the ASC, D3baseball.com, and ABCA Regional Pitcher of the Year. He also had four different pitchers earn ASC Pitcher of the Week awards. Twice, his pitching staffs have been second in the ASC in 2018 (4.10 ERA) and 2019 (3.85 ERA).
As a player at ETBU, he spent three seasons on the pitching staff helping ETBU to two ASC Tournaments in 2013 and 2015. He graduated in May 2016 with his bachelors degree and earned his master's degree from ETBU in May 2017. He is married to ETBU head volleyball coach Mallory (Sanders) Matthews and they have two children in Swade (6) and a Crew (4). They attend New Beginnings Church in Longview, Texas.
