Greensboro College - Matt Aker Hired as Pride Baseball Coach

Did You Know...

Nelsen Led Kiwis

Former Pride men's soccer student-athlete Ryan Nelsen served as captain for his native New Zealand in the 2010 World Cup. He and the "All Whites" went undefeated with a 0-0-3 record.

Pride Sweeps Scalf

GC is the only USA South institution to sweep the prestigious Don Scalf award. GC's Carrie Pacifico (women's tennis) and Daniel Poindexter (baseball) earned the conference's highest honor in 2007-08. Two years later, Andrew Clark (men's soccer) and Michelle Lemmons (women's tennis) did it again for The Pride.

GC Golf

The Pride men's golf team qualified for its 32nd NCAA Division III championship in 2010.

Pacifico was a Smash

Carrie Pacifico was named the USA South women's tennis player of the year in 2006, '07 and '08. She did not lose a conference match during those three years.

Women's Hoops Set Record

The 2008-09 Pride women's basketball team had the best statistical mark of any GC hoops team. GC finished 27-3 and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Pride Women Excelled

In the first year of presenting separate All-Sports trophies, the Greensboro College women won the 2004-05 USA South President’s Cup.

Eccles Set USAS Record

Dione Eccles scored a USA South record (both for men and women) 54 points in Greensboro College women's basketball 's conference tournament semifinal win. The Pride defeated the Panthers, 117-113 in double overtime, on Feb., 29, 2008.

Theriault the Runner

In his first year of intercollegiate cross country, Francois Theriault finished second at the 2006 USA South Cross Country championships, the highest placing in the history of the program. He later earned all-region honors, a first for a GC harrier.

National Title Games

Greensboro College men's soccer reached the NCAA Division III championship game in both 1989 and 1998.

2010 Women's Lacrosse

The 2010 Greensboro College women’s lacrosse team won 14 games, the most in program history.

2010 Softball

The 2010 Greensboro College Pride softball team posted 28 wins, had a 17-game winning streak, won the USA South tournament and qualified for the program's first NCAA tournament.

Student-Athlete Academic Success

From 2003 to 2007, Greensboro College athletes led the USA South Conference with the most student-athletes achieving academic team honors.

Cooke Made NCAAs

Alex Cooke is the only Pride swimmer to reach the NCAA championships. She did not disappoint as she earned All America Honors in the 100 backstroke at the 2009 championships in Minneapolis, Minn.

Sutton Successful

Greensboro College's David Sutton posted a program-best 12-0 record at #1 tennis singles in 2007. The next year, he became GC's first ever alternate to the NCAA tournament.

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Matt Aker Hired as Pride Baseball Coach

Matt Aker

Pride Sports Info.

9/4/2009 11:26:34 AM

Matt Aker has been named head baseball coach at Greensboro College, announced Pride Athletics Director Jean Lojko.

Aker completed his sixth year in the 2009 season as a GC assistant coach. He has served as the hitting, outfield, and base-running coach for The Pride. The son of former major league pitcher and coach Jack Aker, he pitched at Ole Miss and graduated in 1993.

"We are very excited that Matt Aker will lead our baseball program," said Lojko. "Matt is an outstanding person who we believe will lead Pride baseball to a championship. He is familiar with the players, the program and the USA South Conference and has great interpersonal skills. Matt will be a great addition as a full-time athletics staff member."

As an assistant at GC Aker has been part of much GC success. In 2006, The Pride reached the USA South championship game for the first time since 1998 and defeated eight ranked teams during the season. GC set a program record with seven all-conference honorees, including five first team selections.

Under his guidance, Pride hitters have hit over .300 as a team for six consecutive seasons, while leading the USA South in at least one offensive category in each of those years. The Pride has led or come in second in 23 top offensive categories over the past four seasons.

While at Ole Miss, he was primarily a pitcher, but also saw time in the outfield and at third base. Aker was an assistant at Ole Miss in 1993 and a high school head coach at Magnolia Heights in Senatobia, Miss. and Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood, Fla. for ten seasons before coming to Greensboro.

Aker attended Palm Beach Community College for his two college seasons. He was the PBCC Scholar Athlete of the Year and made the Dean's List each semester. Aker earned all conference honors and was picked to play in the Florida Junior College All Star Game.

As a head coach, Aker's high school teams won seven consecutive conference titles and he was named Coach of the Year six consecutive years. He coached the North State All Star team twice while in Mississippi. He had numerous players go on to college baseball careers and three players taken in the Major League Baseball Players Draft. Aker also served as a assistant varsity football coach.

Aker becomes the third head coach in program history. He follows Scott Rash and Ken Carlyle. Rash started the program in 1993. Carlyle then took over in 2003 before resigning last month.

In addition to coaching at GC, Aker worked since 2004 as the technology facilitator at Greensboro Academy.

Aker and his wife, Keisha have three children: Mallory, Cole, and Blaine. They reside in Kernersville.

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