Southwestern University has hired Matt Streich as the next head coach of the Pirates men’s basketball program. A native of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, Streich has 11 years of coaching experience at the NCAA Division III level, including six years at nationally-ranked liberal arts colleges.
Streich comes to Southwestern after four seasons as Assistant Coach and Director of Recruiting at Colorado College, where he competed alongside SU in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).
“I am incredibly grateful and honored to be the next head coach at Southwestern University,” Streich said. “I want to thank Ken Ralph and the search committee for their trust in me to lead this exciting new era of Pirate basketball. Southwestern University has everything you need to provide an incredible student-athlete experience – elite academics, exceptional facilities, passionate fans and alums, and a commitment to excellence in athletics. The cities of Georgetown and Austin are rich with culture and vibrance, making this an incredibly special place. I look forward to working with our administration, staff, and student-athletes to pursue sustained success both on and off the court.”
During his four years at Colorado College, Streich saw 14 of his players earn All-Conference honors, along with two All-Freshman Team selections. This past season, the Tigers reached the SCAC semi-finals and posted back-to-back seasons with a winning record for just the second time in the last 30 years. A year ago, Colorado College reached the SCAC championship game for only the third time in program history.
“Matt Streich has the experience, work ethic, and drive to build a successful program at Southwestern,” Athletic Director Ken Ralph said. “His experience with selective liberal arts colleges, being on the staff of successful programs, and his proven recruiting contacts in the state of Texas make him an ideal hire. All of his references spoke highly of his ability to communicate effectively and build relationships. We could not be more excited for the Matt Streich era to begin for SU basketball.”
Prior to his time at Colorado College, Streich spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in Claremont, California. There, he helped guide the Sagehens to the 2020 NCAA Division III Sweet Sixteen and the team’s best finish in program history, capturing the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) regular season and conference tournament championships.
Streich also spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts from 2017–2018, compiling a 53-7 overall record. The Bisons posted their best finish in school history in 2019, reaching the NCAA Division III Elite Eight. The team won the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) regular season and tournament championships during both of his seasons with the program. He coached two All-Americans, two CCC Players of the Year, and the Conference’s all-time leading scorer. He also served as an academic advisor at Nichols, helping the team achieve its highest combined grade point average in five years.
He began his collegiate coaching career at Emmanuel College in Boston, where he served as an Assistant Coach from 2014-2017. Streich recruited three of the top 10 leading scorers in program history and helped lead the team to the conference semi-finals in two of his three seasons as Assistant Coach.
Streich also currently serves as the Head Coach of the USA U18 Jewish National Team for the Maccabi Games in Israel, the second-largest international sporting event in the world behind the Olympics.
Under Streich’s leadership, the men’s basketball program will enter a new era in 2025 as all 20 men’s and women’s varsity sports offered by Southwestern will be joining the Southern Athletic Association.
