Matt Myers Named Auburn Pitching Coach

July 9, 2004

Matt Myers

AUBURN -- Matt Myers, the head baseball coach at UNC Asheville, has been named pitching coach at Auburn, announced Tigers' head coach Tom Slater Friday.  The 2003 Big South Conference Coach of the Year, Myers spent the last four years as the Bulldogs' head coach.

"We are excited to have one of the outstanding young coaches in the country join Auburn University and the Auburn baseball family," Slater said. "Matt has done a tremendous job building the UNC Asheville baseball program and we are thrilled to add a Division I head coach to our staff." 

One of the youngest Division I head coaches, Myers directed UNC Asheville to a school-record 27 overall wins and a tie for second in the Big South Conference in 2003 while earning conference coach of the year honors.  Under Myers, the Bulldogs finished in the top half of the Big South Conference each of the last three seasons, including a school-record 13 conference wins in 2004.  Last season, the Bulldogs posted two victories over ranked teams, including a 2-1 win at Florida State. Myers' overall record in four seasons at UNCA was 88-125 and 40-44 in the Big South.

As a head coach, Myers coached seven pitchers that signed professional contracts and the 2004 Big South Conference Freshman of the Year.  During the last four years, Myers' Bulldog pitching staffs set five different school pitching records and finished in the top half of the league statistics each season.

Myers, 29, served as an assistant coach at UNC Asheville for a season before being named head coach in June 2000.  A 1998 graduate of Tennessee, Myers spent two years on the Tennessee staff in 1998 and 1999.

As a player, Myers pitched two years at Tennessee, from 1996-97, posting a 13-4 career mark while helping the Volunteers to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances.  Myers' 13-4 (.765) record is fifth all-time in winning percentage at Tennessee.  Myers also pitched a season at UC-Sacramento (1994) and Sacramento City College (1995).

"Matt has had great success in developing pitchers," Slater said. "He also has a fantastic pitching background, having been coached by two outstanding coaches in Jerry Weinstein (Sacramento City College) and Dave Serrano (Cal-State Fullerton pitching coach, former Tennessee pitching coach)."
 
Myers joins Chris Finwood on the Auburn baseball coaching staff.  Finwood has been an assistant at Auburn since 2001.