UNC Wilmington Athletics

Led by one of the best bullpens in the nation, UNCW returned to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in five seasons and captured the CAA championship for the first time since 2015. 

In William's fifth season with the program, the Seahawks finished the season the 2018 season ranked nationally in earned run average (26th, 3.50). hits allowed per nine innings (18th, 7.71) and WHIP (30th, 1.28).

Three pitchers heard their name called in the MLB draft bringing Williams' total of pitchers drafted up to 15.

Reliever Austin Warren, who was a CAA All-Tournament selection, was tabbed by the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth round after posting an 8-0 mark and compiling an ERA of 1.75 in a staff-leading 28 appearances.

Fellow relievers Clark Cota and Austin Easter were selected by the Oakland A's (10th round) and Toronto Blue Jays (31st round), respectively.

Cota, a first-team All-CAA selection, was a semifinalist for the NCBWA Stopper-of-the-Year Award after finishing his junior season with a program-record tying 13 saves. That total ranked him 18th nationally.

Easter was another key cog in the UNCW pen and finished with a 4-2 record and a save to his credit. Through four seasons with the Seahawks, he ranked fifth all-time in appearances with 89.

In 2017, Alex Royalty became the third Seahawk pitcher to be named Pitcher-of-the-Year by the Colonial Athletic Association while posting an ERA of 3.20 and a league-best 9-2 record. That season also saw the emergence of Zarion Sharpe, who was named to the CAA’s All-Rookie team following a 6-1 mark as a freshman.

In the MLB draft, righthander Josh Roberson was selected in the 12th round by the Miami Marlins.

The Seahawks featured CAA Pitcher-of-the-Year Ryan Foster in 2016. Foster finished second nationally with a school-record 13 wins. Foster also tossed his second career complete game in the NCAA regionals, limiting Duke to a run on eight hits.

Foster, who was a first-team All-CAA honoree, led a staff that also included CAA All-Rookie selection Alex Royalty, who went 8-2 as a freshman. Reliever Austin Magestro was a third-team All-CAA selection and helped bolster the bullpen with a 5-3 record and three saves. He posted a 2.59 ERA and struck out 66 in 48.2 innings.

Two UNCW pitchers were taken in the 2016 draft as Taylor Hyssong went in the eighth round to Atlanta and Jared Gesell was drafted by Colorado in the 23rd round.

Williams’ impact on the UNCW program was evident in 2015 as the Seahawks won their fourth conference tournament title and advanced to the NCAA tournament for a seventh time. The UNCW pitching staff compiled an ERA of 2.48 and held opponents to a .238 batting average in seven postseason games.

Williams returns to the coaching staff for his third season in 2015-16 and looks to build upon the momentum generated in the postseason. His staff’s 493 strikeouts eclipsed a program record that stood for 12 seasons.

Four of the five Seahawks selected in the 2015 MLB draft were off the pitching staff as Jordan Ramsey, Evan Phillips, Nick Monroe and Will Shepley were drafted and moved onto the professional ranks.

Jordan Ramsey made a successful move to the bullpen as a senior under the guidance of Williams. Ramsey, who was selected in the seventh round by Cincinnati, led the staff with an 8-2 record and a 1.69 ERA. He also tied for the conference lead with seven saves and paced the league with 28 appearances. Ramsey was a first-team All-CAA selection and also earned ABCA All-America honors.

In his first season with the Seahawks, Williams helped the staff to a 4.40 ERA, fourth in the CAA, and a .265 opponents’ batting average, ranking third in the league. Mat Batts was named CAA Pitcher-of-the-Year for the second consecutive season and led the circuit in strikeouts (105) for a third straight season. Batts was one of four Seahawk pitchers selected in the 2014 MLB draft. Batts, who went in the 17th round to Minnesota, was joined by Kelly Secrest (10th round, NY Mets), Christian MacDonald (25th round, Miami) and Jordan Ramsey (32nd round, NY Yankees).
 
Batts (2.69) and Ryan Foster (3.47) were ranked fifth and eighth, respectively, in the CAA in ERA.
 
Veteran Head Coach Mark Scalf announced the hiring of Matt Williams as pitching coach for UNCW’s highly successful program on Aug. 5, 2013. Williams previously served as pitching coach at junior college power Spartanburg Methodist for eight seasons.
 
Williams helped the Pioneers achieve the top ranking in the nation in 2013 and a berth in the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. SMC reached the World Series four times  (2007, 2009, 2012, 2013) with Williams as the pitching coach.
 
In 2013, SMC posted a 48-15 record with a 3.36 earned run average, which ranked in the top-35 nationally. Opponents hit just .252 against the Pioneer pitching staff.
 
A tireless recruiter, Williams sent 34 players to the NCAA Division I ranks and 15 of that group entered professional baseball. Two reached the major leagues as Heath Hembree and Zack Godley appeared with Boston and Arizona, respectively.
 
Williams played for the Pioneers in 2002 and 2003 and was part of a sophomore class that combined to win 101 wins over two seasons. In 2003, he tossed a no-hitter in the Region X tournament against Surry Community College.
 
From SMC, Williams entered professional baseball and pitched for the Mid-Missouri Mavericks of the Frontier League before transitioning to coaching. He began his coaching career as pitching coach for Spartanburg Post 28 American Legion and helped the program to a pair of state titles. In 2010, he served as head coach of the Laconia Muskrats and guided the rookie franchise to a spot in the New England College Baseball League playoffs.

Williams and his wife, Denton, reside in Wilmington.