MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Derek Matlock, West Virginia’s pitching coach the past five seasons, has accepted the head coaching position at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Kendall Rogers of D1Baseball.com first reported the move Friday.
The WAC program was expected to introduce Matlock on Saturday, six days after West Virginia’s season ended with a runner-up finish to Wake Forest in the Winston-Salem Regional. That capped a 36-26 season in which the Mountaineers enjoyed their first NCAA tournament berth in 21 years.
Matlock helped reshape a staff that lost two weekend starters midseason. Three of WVU’s four NCAA regional games were started by freshmen.
UTRGV’s hiring creates a crucial vacancy for Mountaineers head coach Randy Mazey, who brought on Matlock within a week of being hired in June 2012.
During West Virginia’s debut season in the Big 12, Matlock mentored Harrison Musgrave to a 9-1 record, a 2.17 ERA and conference pitcher of the year honors. Musgrave became one of six pitchers drafted during Matlock’s tenure.
Matlock carries deep Texas ties, having compiled a 251-67 record as a high school head coach at Flower Mound and Eastern Hills. He also worked as a volunteer assistant at TCU and pitching coach at Texas State.