Matt Airy was named Head Coach of the Aurora University men's basketball program in the spring of 2019. Airy becomes the 28th head coach in the lengthy history of Spartan men's basketball.
Before becoming the Head Coach at AU, Airy was the Associate Head Coach at his alma mater, Whitman College. Upon his arrival in 2008 at Whitman, Airy was intimately involved in perhaps the most remarkable turnaround in all of NCAA College Basketball during that span. The Blues Men’s Basketball program rose to the top of NCAA Division III, with recent successes virtually unrivaled among all levels of college basketball.
After recording only one winning season over the previous 25 (13-12 in 1998-1999), the Blues have recorded eight consecutive winning seasons, finishing either first or second in the NWC in each of those years. The third season proved to be a catalyst which led to an unprecedented run in recent years. From 2014-2019 (five seasons), the Blues compiled a 132-16 overall record and the overall winning percentage (.892) during this span is the best in all of NCAA Division III, and sits at second in all of college basketball behind only 2018 NCAA Division I National Champion Villanova University.
As Associate Head Coach, Airy has been intimately involved with every aspect of building the Whitman Men’s Basketball program into a national power, literally since day one. He served as the program’s lead recruiter in the Northwest, including the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Montana, as well as overseeing many of the program’s international recruiting efforts. This work has produced multiple All-NWC, All-Region, and All-American performers for the Blues during his time. As the primary development coach for forwards/wings, Airy has also assisted in the development of multiple all-conference performers, as well as All-Americans David Michaels (2012) and Ben Eisenhardt (2013).
Among his strategic responsibilities with the team has been Whitman’s high speed fast break. He has assisted in establishing the Blues high-speed offense as one of the most potent in the nation, peaking in 2017-2018 with an average of just under 98 points per game.
Airy also served as the director of “Together We Can” Leadership-Based Basketball Camps, Whitman’s unique youth camps and clinics program. In partnering with over 25 local sponsors under Airy’s direction, ‘TWC’ Camps have provided thousands of children in the Walla Walla area with leadership-based camp programming free of registration charge. This unique, community supported model is believed to support the largest free camp program in the nation at a College or University.
Prior to his time at Whitman, Airy served as lead assistant coach at Bellevue Community College (now Bellevue College) in Bellevue, Washington. During his four years at BCC, the Bulldogs won three North Region Championships, compiled a 97-30 overall record, and advanced to the NWAACC (Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges) championship game for just the second time in school history. During his time at Bellevue, Airy assisted with all aspects of on the floor coaching and preparation, as well as serving as a lead recruiter, and also as the Program Assistant and Sports Information Director for BCC Athletics.
After prepping at Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Washington, Airy participated as a member of the varsity basketball team throughout his time as a student at Whitman, graduating with honors in 2004 with a dual degree in Psychology and Rhetoric and Film Studies. In 2008, he earned his Masters of Education in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership from the University of Washington. He is married to Rossi.
AURORA UNIVERSITY COACHING RECORD
| YEAR |
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE (Place) |
| 2019-2020 |
10-15 |
9-11 (7th) |
| 2020-2021 |
8-4 |
5-3 (3rd) |
| 2 Years |
18-19 (.487) |
14-14 (.500) |
