| New Paltz State athletics photo |
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. – Seventh-year State University of New York at New Paltz head baseball coach Matt Griffiths has announced that he will step down from the program to pursue other professional opportunities, as announced Friday by New Paltz director of athletics Stuart Robinson.
"My time at New Paltz has been some of the best years of my
life,” Griffiths said. “I am grateful to have had the
chance to work with top-notch colleagues and appreciate the support
given to me and the baseball program by the New Paltz campus,
community and administration over the years. To be a part of the
athletic department during such an exciting time has been second to
none, and I am looking forward to watching the baseball program and
the department as a whole continue to improve and gain the national
recognition that it deserves."
After working as an assistant coach with the baseball program from
2004-06, Griffiths took over as head coach in 2007. He guided the
program to a 121-142 overall record across his seven years at the
helm, and he became just the third coach in the history of the
program to achieve 100 wins. The Hawks made the State University of
New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Baseball Championship
Tournament twice during his stewardship, and he earned two SUNYAC
Baseball Coach of the Year honors—once in 2010 and again this
past season in 2013. In 2013, New Paltz achieved the No. 2 seed
into the SUNYAC Tournament for just the second time in its history,
as the Hawks went 12-6 in league play.
“Since Matt's arrival at New Paltz as an assistant to former
head baseball coach Mike Juhl, he has worked as an assistant coach,
an assistant equipment manager, the facility manager, a residence
hall director and the head baseball coach,” Robinson said.
“He has always taken on each responsibility with stoicism and
a sense of humor that has always tried to put the department first.
As Matt, Julie, Emma and Chase prepare for the next chapter of
their lives, I know that I speak for the department in wishing them
nothing but the best.”
A national search to find Griffiths' replacement will begin
immediately.