Middlebury has named Matt Goldsmith as the Russell L. Reilly Head Coach of Men’s Basketball. Goldsmith has spent the last 10 seasons at the helm of The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) men’s basketball program and will assume his role with the Panthers on May 27.
“We are thrilled to welcome Matt as our new head men’s basketball coach,” said Director of Athletics Erin Quinn ’86. “Matt brings a wealth of experience from his time as a player and assistant coach in the NESCAC and as a successful Division III head coach. We were impressed by his ability to develop not only outstanding basketball players but student-athletes beyond the basketball court. We look forward to welcoming Matt and his family to Middlebury to continue the tradition of excellence that Coach Jeff Brown developed in our program.”
During his tenure with the Lions, Goldsmith led the team to over 150 victories. TCNJ claimed its first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship in nearly a decade in 2020 and hoisted the trophy again in 2024. Under Goldsmith’s purview, the Lions advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2020 and finished with a 20-9 mark, sporting the same record in 2024.
“I want to thank Erin and the entire search committee for putting their faith in me to become the next Russell L. Reilly Head Coach of Men’s Basketball,” said Goldsmith. “I am honored to have the opportunity to lead such a storied basketball program filled with elite student-athletes and incredible alumni. I will work tirelessly to build on the tradition that Coach Brown built over the past 28 seasons. We will play in a way that makes the Middlebury campus, the Athletics Department, and all of our supporters proud. My family and I are extremely excited to dive into the Middlebury community and get up to Vermont.”
Prior to his time with TCNJ, Goldsmith served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Amherst, for four seasons. During that span, the Mammoths claimed two NESCAC Championships (2013 and 2014) and secured the NCAA trophy in 2013. Goldsmith has served as the co–general manager and head coach of the professional basketball club the Nerd Team since 2020 and was a volunteer assistant coach with USA Basketball for two summers.
A 2008 graduate of NESCAC foe Amherst, Goldsmith was a four-year starter on the men’s basketball team. During his time with the Mammoths, the team captured the 2007 NCAA Championship, finished as the 2008 national runner-up, and took home the NESCAC trophy twice (2005 and 2006). Following his undergraduate career, Goldsmith played professional basketball for the TV Werne 03 in Germany for a year.
Goldsmith will assume his role on May 27, while Brown’s retirement is slated for June 30. The full release on Brown’s retirement can be found here.
