Matt Williams enters his second season as pitching coach at Coastal Carolina University in 2026 after delivering one of the most impactful single seasons by a pitching coach in program history during his first year in Conway.
A veteran of more than 20 years in collegiate baseball, Williams joined the Chanticleers prior to the 2025 season after spending one year at South Carolina and four seasons as associate head coach and pitching coach at Liberty University. Over his collegiate coaching career, Williams has helped 38 pitchers sign professional contracts, including five who have reached the Major Leagues, while mentoring four conference Pitchers of the Year and numerous all-conference selections.
In his first season with the Chanticleers in 2025, Williams orchestrated a dramatic turnaround on the mound that powered Coastal Carolina to a school-record and nation-leading 56 wins, Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships, Conway Regional and Auburn Super Regional titles, and a trip to the Men’s College World Series Championship Final. Under his direction, Coastal’s pitching staff ranked second nationally and led the Sun Belt Conference in ERA and WHIP, finishing the year with a 3.22 team ERA, the fifth-best mark in program history and a significant improvement from the previous two seasons.
Williams’ impact was evident in both team success and individual player development. Jacob Morrison posted a 12-1 record and earned ABCA/Rawlings Division I National Pitcher of the Year honors while receiving consensus First-Team All-America recognition. Riley Eikhoff and Matthew Potok also made major strides under Williams’ guidance and were selected in the 2025 Major League Baseball Draft, giving the Chanticleers three pitchers drafted during his first season on staff.
The pitching staff continued to excel throughout the postseason, helping Coastal go undefeated (3-0) in Omaha and close the season with a 26-game winning streak, the fourth-longest in Division I baseball over the past five years.
Williams also guided a dominant bullpen in 2025, led by Ryan Lynch, who posted a 0.56 ERA with nine saves. Dominick Carbone added six saves and 52 strikeouts, while Matthew Potok, Darin Horn, Hayden Johnson, and Scott Doran combined to go 15-2 with four saves.
For his work during the 2025 season, Williams was named the American Baseball Coaches Association Division I Baseball Assistant Coach of the Year and the D1Baseball.com Assistant Coach of the Year.
Prior to Coastal Carolina, Williams spent five seasons as pitching coach at UNCW, where he helped lead the Seahawks to three NCAA Regional championship games and coached 17 pitchers who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Earlier in his career, he served eight seasons as pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Spartanburg Methodist College, helping the Pioneers make four trips to the NJCAA World Series.
Williams also gained professional experience in 2019 with the San Diego Padres organization, serving as an international crosschecker before transitioning to pitching coach for the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the Padres’ Midwest League affiliate.
A South Carolina native, Williams prepped at Lancaster High School before attending Spartanburg Methodist College, where his sophomore class won 101 games in two seasons and advanced to the NJCAA World Series. He is a graduate of Limestone College with a degree in liberal studies.
Williams and his wife, Denton, have a son, Calahan.
