Matt Hancock has completed 12 seasons as a member of the University of North Alabama coaching staff serves as associate head coach and pitching coach for the Lions.
Hancock was a one-year student assistant coach with the Lions and served two years as a graduate assistant before being elevated to the assistant’s position prior to the 2009 season.
He has completed nine seasons as a full-time assistant at UNA and has helped lead the Lions to a combined 277-181-1 record that includes back-to-back NCAA South Region Tournament berths in 2011 and 2012.
The Lions finished the 2011 campaign with a 37-14 record, led by a pitching staff with 3.68 earned run average and 12 complete game performances.
In 2012 the Lions were 39-18 and set school records for most strikeouts in a game (18) and season (374). For his contributions to the Lions success in 2012, he was honored by the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association (ALABCA) as Assistant Coach of the Year on the Four-Year College Level.
In 2015 his UNA pitchers allowed the fewest walks (98) in a season since the school has kept records, while striking out 281. It was also UNA’s fourth season in the last five years with a team ERA under 4.00.
The 2017 UNA pitching staff threw 13 complete games and set a school record with 405 strikeouts. That unit was led by All-Gulf South Conference and All-South Region pitcher Tyler Joyner, who went 10-2. The team finished with a 3.87 ERA.
In addition to coaching at UNA Hancock has had three coaching stints in the Northwoods League over the past summers. In 2005 and 2008 he served as an assistant and pitching coach for the Alexandria Beetles. In 2011 he served as the Head Coach for the Beetles setting a franchise record with 44 regular season wins and leading the Beetles to the NWL Playoffs for the just the 2nd time in franchise history and the 1st since 2002. Over his time in the Northwoods League Hancock has coached a total of 25 players that have been drafted to play professional baseball including Major Leaguer Allen Craig of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hancock was a four-year letterman for the Lions as a pitcher from 2002-05 and posted a 20-5 career record on the mound at UNA. He was 6-0 as a freshman, 5-0 as a sophomore, 2-2 as a junior and 7-3 as a senior. His 20 wins rank third best in school history. Hancock pitched 206.6 innings in 58 career appearances for the Lions, striking out 128 batters while walking just 46. As a senior, Hancock helped UNA to a Gulf South Conference East Division title that included 16 straight league wins and a 39-19 overall record. UNA advanced to the championship game of the GSC Tournament and he was an All-GSC Tournament selection.
Hancock is married to former UNA soccer standout Emily Cotham and they have a daughter, Hallie and son, Brice.
He received his B.S. degree in History from UNA and his Masters of Health and Physical Education from UNA as well.
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Hancock was named 2012 Alabama Baseball Coaches Association
Assistant Coach of the Year on the four-year level. |
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