HEAD COACH MATT DOWNS

Head Coach Matt Downs

Phone: 502-873-4207

Coach Downs enters his ninth season at the helm of the Spalding University baseball program. Since taking over the Golden Eagle Nine in the fall of 2015, Downs has helped guide Spalding to 213 wins, including back-to-back 30-win seasons, four straight SLIAC tournament appearances, a SLIAC regular season championship, and the program’s first NCAA tournament with 2023 SLIAC Tournament Championship while also winning the University’s first NCAA Tournament game.

TEAM/STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORS AND ACCOLADES

2019 SLIAC Regular Season Champions
Ranked in the top-25 nationally (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
All-Americans: Jimi Keating (2017, 2018) and Garrett Wilson (2018, 2019 - Preseason), Eric Meyer (2020 - Preseason)
Academic All-Americans: Jimi Keating (2017, 2018), Kyle Olliges (2017), Matt Harper (2018), Garrett Wilson (2019, 2020) Hunter Strong (2023) Michael Newsom (2023)
SLIAC Player of the Year: Garrett Wilson (2018), Eric Meyer (2019, 2021)
SLIAC Pitcher of the Year: Jimi Keating (2018), Caleb Collins (2023)
76 SLIAC Academic All-Conference Selections
58 SLIAC All-Conference Selections
23 All-Central Region Selections

SPALDING HIGHLIGHTS

3-time SLIAC Coach of the Year (2017, 2018, 2019)
Back-to-back 30-win seasons
First SLIAC regular-season championship in school history
Fastest head coach to reach 100 wins since Spalding joined the NCAA
2023 SLIAC Tournament Championship
First NCAA Tournament win since joining the NCAA

NOTABLE DATES

February 26, 2016: First career win as a head coach, 6-3, over Wheaton College
February 28, 2016: First win over a ranked team, 13-4, over #19 Baldwin-Wallace
March 12, 2017: Win over #25 ranked Concordia-Chicago, 7-0
March 15, 2018: First win over a team ranked #1 nationally, 11-9, against UMass-Boston
February 15, 2019: Season-opening win over #2 ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater, 8-5
March 1, 2019: 4-3 win over #8 Concordia-Chicago, the Cougars only loss in their first 25 games
April 13, 2019: Downs’ earns 100th career win, 9-8, against Westminster
February 16th, 2020 8-6 Win over #3 Ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater
March 14th, 2021 8-1 win over #17 Adrian
April 18th, 2023 Downs’ earns 200th career win, 7-2 against Centre College
May 13th, 2023 Spalding Wins its First SLIAC tournament Championship
May 20th, 2023 Spalding wins University’s first NCAA tournament game 4-3 against Beloit College

PRIOR TO SPALDING

Prior to coaching at Spalding, Downs did a one year stint as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at NCAA Division III Centre College in Danville, Ky. Downs' impact on the program was evident by lowering the Colonel pitching staff's walks per nine innings from 4.55 in 2014 to 3.38 in the 2015 season, as well as, raising their marks from 5.75 strikeouts per nine innings in 2014 to a remarkable 7.04 clip in 2015, highlighted by junior right-handed pitcher Rob Caudill, who led the Colonels with an impressive 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Downs also guided three Colonels, including Caudill, to their selection on the 2015 All-Southern Athletic Association teams.

His impact on the recruiting front was felt on the Centre campus, highlighted by 13 new players in this year's class, with seven from the state of Kentucky. Downs' class also boasts three players who earned All-State nods during their senior campaigns.

Prior to coaching at Centre, Downs spent two years with the Spalding U. baseball program, helping the Golden Eagles set a NCAA Division III school-record with 33 wins in 2013, guiding a pitching staff that year ranked 13th nationally in NCAA Division III in strikeouts (320) and 17th in strikeouts per nine innings (7.8). In 2014, Downs saw the Eagle hurlers to new heights, finishing fourth nationally in strikeout to walk ratio (3.08), leading the SLIAC in strikeouts and strikeouts per game.

PERSONAL

A Louisville, Ky. native and Southern High School graduate, Downs was a four-year member of the Spalding baseball team from 2009-2012. His career is highlighted by two appearances in the United Small College Athletic Association (USCAA) World Series, with the Eagles finishing fourth in 2011 and culminating with a National Championship in 2012. Downs resides in Lawrenceburg, Ky. with his wife Jenelle.