After a highly competitive nationwide search led by TurnkeyZRG Vice President, Katy Young Staudt, the University of California, Riverside announced the appointment of Brittney Matta as the new head coach of the UC Riverside Softball team. Matta, who most recently served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Texas at El Paso, or UTEP, prior to accepting the head coach role at UC Riverside, has a history of success both as a player and a coach. An NCAA national champion catcher with the 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils, Matta was the 2023 ACCAC Coach of the Year and is known for her stellar recruiting, Matta joins UCR Athletics to lead its softball program into its next era.
"We are excited to welcome Brittney Matta as our next head coach for UCR Softball," said Wesley Mallette, UC Riverside's director of intercollegiate athletics. "Our search committee found that her exceptional track record of success at every level in softball, and dedication to fostering both athletic and personal growth in student-athletes set her apart in an incredibly competitive search that drew some incredible talent from across the country. Brittney's proven ability to transform programs and lead teams to success is what we need to elevate UCR Softball. We look forward to a bright future under her leadership."
"I would like to thank Wesley Mallette and his wonderful team for the opportunity to lead the UC Riverside Softball program. I am ecstatic to become the head softball coach and the newest member of the UCR Athletics program," Matta said. "The passion and resiliency they have shown as an athletics program is unmatched. I am also excited to get back to my home state of California and match their passion to propel UC Riverside forward. I look forward to staying committed to developing quality people, memorable experiences, and elite student-athletes. I cannot wait to get started!"
Matta most recently served as UTEP's associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, a position she assumed in June 2023. Prior to her time at UTEP, she served as the head coach at South Mountain Community College, where she transformed the program's culture and led the Cougars through four highly successful seasons, culminating in being named the 2023 ACCAC Coach of the Year with her team finishing the season ranked No. 3 nationally after earning a D2 Junior College World Series berth, a West District Championship, and Region 1 title.
Before her success at SMCC, Matta was an assistant coach at Mesa Community College from 2017 to 2019, contributing to the team's journey to the NJCAA Division II Regional Finals. Also, she was successful coaching at the prep level, leading Highland High School in Gilbert, Ariz., to the Arizona Interscholastic Association playoffs in her first year as head coach in 2014.
Matta's softball journey began at Arizona State University, where she made the team as a walk-on in 2006. After her playing career concluded, she remained a Sun Devil as an undergraduate assistant coach and helped lead the program to another NCAA National Championship in 2011.
A Northern California native, Matta graduated from Woodland High School and has been deeply involved in softball throughout her life. She has a daughter, Ava, who has been an integral part of her journey.
