TROY, Ala. – Matt Hancock has been named Troy’s newest baseball assistant coach, head coach Mark Smartt announced Monday.
Hancock spent the last 10 seasons as the pitching coach at the University of North Alabama and will transition into the same role at Troy.
“I’m extremely honored, humbled and thankful for the opportunity to join such a tradition-rich program,” Hancock said. “I’m excited to team up with Coach Smartt and the rest of the staff as we aim to continue success and take the next step as a program.”
After one year as a student assistant coach and two years as a graduate assistant at North Alabama, Hancock was promoted to the assistant’s position with the Lions for the following decade.
“Matt comes highly recommended from baseball people I have known and trusted for many years,” Smartt said. “He impressed me with his overall presence, while his strong character fit our staff and program extremely well. He presented an outstanding development plan and I am confident he will provide the proper direction for our pitching staff each day.”
“We all welcome Matt, his wife Emily and two children Hallie and Bryce into our TROY family. They will be terrific additions to both our University and our community.”
UNA experienced immense success with Hancock on staff – he helped lead the program to a 308-201-1 record as a full-timer and back-to-back NCAA South Region Tournament berths in 2011 and 2012.
As the program’s recruiting coordinator, he recruited and developed 42 all-conference players (15 of those pitchers) and 16 all-region players, including NCBWA South Region Pitcher of the Year and All-American Chad Boughner – UNA’s all-time wins and strikeouts leader.
The program also set multiple school records, including the single-season records for shutouts (9) and strikeouts (422) in 2018. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, Hancock was named the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year.
In the midst of his time at UNA, he worked as the coach of the Alexandria Beetles of the Northwoods Summer League. In just three years, the squad had over 30 players selected in the MLB First-Year Player Draft – four of whom have reached the majors.
Hancock lettered four years as a pitcher at North Alabama and helped lead the Lions to two regular season Gulf South Conference championships. He ranks third on the school’s all-time wins list with a 20-5 career record and was named to the GSC All-Tournament team in 2005.
He received his bachelor’s degree in history and a Master of Health and Physical Education from UNA.
Hancock is married to former UNA soccer star Emily Cotham; the two have a daughter, Hallie, and son, Bryce.
