Matt Spear - Men's Soccer Coach - Davidson College Athletics

Matt Spear

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
maspear@davidson.edu
Phone:
2345

Matt Spear
Head Coach
18th Season
Davidson, 1993

Matt Spear ‘93 just completed his 18th season at the helm of his alma mater.

“Matt’s understanding of the Davidson culture has served him well as he continues our soccer program’s tradition of excellence on the soccer pitch and in the classroom.”

On the field and along the sidelines, Spear has been a part in many of the program’s biggest wins. While a member of the team as a student-athlete, the Wildcats defeated UCLA, Wake Forest, Duke, NC State and North Carolina, ultimately reaching the College Cup semifinals in 1992. Spear, a midfielder, was a senior captain.

As a coach, Spear has guided the ‘Cats past the likes of NC State (2015), eventual-NCAA Champion Virginia (2014), Duke (2003, 2009, 2014 and 2016), South Carolina (2003 and 2009), Virginia Tech (2010 and 2013), Harvard (2013) and North Carolina (in 2002 and 2011). It was UNC’s only 2011 loss in regulation all season for that season in which they would win the NCAA Championship.

Spear is the only Davidsonian that as a player won a conference championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament and then later became head coach of a Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament team at his alma mater.

The 2018 squad finished second in the A-10 Conference and tied then-ranked No. 10 Virginia Tech. Jordan Hill, Jaylen Thompson and Henry Howell were named All-Conference.

A 2016 season highlight was a 3-1 victory at Duke and in 2017 the team had a winning season including a 5-0-1 start.

In 2015, the Wildcats continued their success against the ACC, posting a 2-1 win over NC State before playing Duke to a 2-2 draw. That extended a program-best six game unbeaten streak vs. ACC opponents. Davidson also traveled to Palo Alto, California to push eventual NCAA Champion Stanford to overtime in a 1-0 loss.

The 2014 campaign featured away wins at Virginia and Duke, a 5-0-2 start (best since 1982), the first undefeated season at Alumni Soccer Stadium and the best winning percentage in program history since the 1992 Final Four Team.

Davidson, which climbed to as high as No. 3 in the NCAA RPI, was ranked in every major collegiate soccer national poll at one point during the season and finished with the fewest losses (2) in the nation.

Senior Alan Reiter was named 1st Team All A-10, juniors Shane Macnamara and Matt Pacifici named 2nd Team All A-10 and freshman Matt Reinikka named to A-10 All-Rookie Team.

In 2010, the Wildcats received top-25 votes early in the season and Alex Caskey capped a stellar four-year career with his second NSCAA All-South Region honor and third All-Southern Conference first team selection. Following the season, he became the second Wildcat in as many years to sign and play professional soccer. Caskey played for the Seattle Sounders FC of the MLS for two seasons and with DC United in 2014.

Spear guided the Wildcats to an 11-7 record during the 2009 season, including 4-1 wins over No. 25 South Carolina and No. 6 Duke. Soccer America ranked the ‘Cats as high as 21st in the nation following their victory over the Blue Devils.

Under Spear’s tutelage, Charlie Reiter emerged as one of the top offensive players in the country en route to garnering Southern Conference Player of the Year and first-team All-South Region honors. Reiter also became the fourth ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American to play under Spear and played professionally following graduation.

Spear was one of four coaches selected to lead a team at the 2010 Major League Soccer Combine. A total of 15 of the 18 players on his team, Predator X, were selected in the ensuing MLS SuperDraft.

In 2005, Spear guided the Wildcats to their third straight appearance in the SoCon title game, a regular season crown, and a mark of 14-6-1 overall. Against Navy, he recorded his 50th career victory, making him the fastest to that clip in Davidson soccer history.

The Wildcats advanced to the Southern Conference championship game for the second straight season in 2004. The team finished in the top 40 of the NCAA RPI for the second year in a row, just narrowly missing an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

In 2003, Spear guided Davidson to a Southern Conference regular season and tournament championship, finishing the year with a 15-6-2 record, including a 6-1-0 mark in the SoCon. The ‘Cats defeated College of Charleston in the finals of the conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in school history. For his accomplishments, Spear was named both the Southern Conference and South Region Coach of the Year, as well as being a finalist for the 2003 National Coach of the Year.

In his 18 years on the sidelines, Spear has coached six Academic All-Americans, 22 all-conference performers, and one All-American honoree (John Latting, 2005). Latting was inducted in to Davidson’s Athletic Hall of Fame in January of 2018.

Coach Spear also focuses on hiring and developing up and coming, talented coaches. Eight of his staff have progressed to become NCAA head coaches, four in Division I – Joel Tyson (Wofford), Clint Peay (Richmond), Eric Nichols (Bowling Green), Jonathan Potter (Presbyterian) and Kevin O’Brien (Lipscomb women) – one in Division II – Eric Reed (Malone) – and two in Division III – Tony Falvino (Greensboro) and Ryan Souders (Calvin).

Spear earned the U.S. Soccer “A“ license and the NSCAA Premier Diploma.

Spear returned to Davidson after spending two years as a co-founder and CXO for internetsoccer.com Inc., a subsidiary of England-based TEAMtalk Media Group. Spear served various roles during the continued evolution of the global sports media and services firm, from strategist to manager to business developer. He worked closely with U.S. Youth Soccer, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and adidas America.

In addition to working for internetsoccer.com Inc., Spear was the Vice President of Integrity Sports Marketing as the coordinating producer of over 80 NCAA Soccer Tournament and College Soccer Weekly telecasts while serving as the General Manager of Online Properties as a co-founder of collegesoccer.com, internetsoccer.com, and womenssoccer.com.

Spear was a four-year starter for the Wildcats and served as a team captain of the 1992 Davidson team that won the Southern Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA semifinals -- Davidson's only Division I Final Four team. He was rewarded for his outstanding play with first-team All-Southern Conference honors in 1992.

A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Spear’s father was an English teacher/Coach and his mother a college librarian. Matt was a history major at Davidson and spent a spring semester in France studying art history. Michael Spear (1984-1987), one of Matt’s brothers, was also a Davidson soccer captain and All-Southern Conference performer.

Spear attended Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville, N.C., where he was an honor student and a leader on the soccer and tennis teams. On Jan. 15, 2010 the school inducted Spear in to their Fury Athletic Hall of Fame.

An active member in the community, Coach Spear has mentored in the United Way Big Brother program and is the Director of the Davidson Soccer Camps. During his tenure, the team has volunteered in many local causes, such as the Ada Jenkins Center (Davidson community service center), Grassroots Soccer (to stop the spread of HIV), Street Soccer (for homeless persons), Relay for Life (American Cancer Society) and working with special needs children.

Within Athletics, Spear coordinated the Department’s annual “kick-off” for three years and was a committee member for the Department’s “ACATEMY Awards” event. Across campus, Spear served on the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Performance Assessment Committees. He was a three year member of the College’s AAG (Administrative Advisory Group) that represents the staff to the President – including the AAG Chair for 2015-16. He was important in the capital campaign for the Alumni Stadium/1992 Team Field project and he continues his efforts with alumni, parents, and friends of the College for scholarships and other development initiatives. Spear is a former board member of Team Summit Foundation, the non-profit channel of Summit Coffee and former Chair of the Alumni Council for Summit School in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Spear, his wife Courtney and three sons - Nick, Jack and Beck - live in Davidson.

Former Student-Athletes on Matt Spear
“I want to thank Coach for all that he’s done for me on and off the field over these last 4 years. This has truly been a special experience and program that I am forever grateful for. Thank you for the opportunity to achieve my dream of playing collegiate soccer.” – Drew Krueger ‘19

“The environment that he has created for the team at Davidson is unique and it really fosters the cohesion and growth of the players.” -- Hunter Hayes ‘12

“Spear is just a class act. He's great with people and he has a passion for drawing the best out of every situation.” -- Former All-American, John Latting ’06

“Davidson soccer gave me the tools that make me successful today. Davidson soccer is all about teamwork. We weren’t a bunch of stars, but we achieved success by relishing the opportunity to work hard for each other, as a team. Unlike a lot of my peers graduating law school at the same time, I didn’t have a shocking transition to the “professional” world because I didn’t have to change the way I was taught to think from my Davidson soccer days." -- David Sartorio ’07

“Coach Spear's optimism and energy is undeniable and very appreciated by the players. He enjoys every second of trying to make you a better player and person. More importantly, he is a great role model for the players. He was successful on the field but his integrity and moral credence is what I will always take with me.” -- Cameron Griffin ’09

"Playing college soccer was my dream since I was a kid and I enjoyed the opportunity to get to play at an extremely high level with a Division 1 team. I have grown as a person and improved my time management skills. Coach Spear was effective because he focuses on the psychological aspects of soccer which I personally enjoyed. I also appreciated the focus on team unity with the theme of brotherhood. Coach emphasizes scholarship in addition to performance on the field. He does an excellent job managing everyone. I enjoyed my experience and wouldn't have traded it for the world." -- Daniel Peek '14

"Coach had been through the same experiences as a Davidson student-athlete. He understands the balance it takes to succeed at Davidson and guides us through the process as well. I am very thankful for the culture and work ethic he instills in players. He told us when we did well, and he wasn’t afraid to call us out individually or as a group when we made mistakes. I think as my teammates and I get older, we will appreciate more and more the culture of toughness he sought to build every day." -- Jake Keator '14

“I believe that Davidson Soccer will continue to grow and improve because of the competitive breed that Davidson students have. Coach is doing a great job growing the program. He is pushing to play the more beautiful soccer in terms of style. Thanks for a great 4 years! Couldn't have asked for a better coach/mentor.” – Kristian Garciamendez-Rowold ‘15

“Matt continues to drive the Davidson Men's Soccer program forward by utilizing his passion and connection to its past, present, and future. His leadership shines during an ever-evolving US Soccer landscape, in which Davidson Soccer continues to be a relevant force – competing against top conference and non-conference opponents. I am extremely grateful for the support from the program and the athletic fund. I hope to continue to give back.” – Alec Rotunda ‘16

"Although beating the National champs and traveling across the country to play will forever live on in memories, just being able to be part of such a special and connected group of guys is that much more important to me - and that's how I will truly remember my time with the program. Being able to be around such a great group of guys, especially in sport, is such a unique experience. Whether you realize it now or not, you have such a tremendous impact on the guys' lives and futures as these four years are arguably the best and most transformative years of our lives. Hopefully I can find a job that I can be equally passionate about." -- Matt Pacifici ‘16

“Coach Spear is a mentor that helps his players develop in so many more ways than just on the soccer field. His longtime experience as a player and a coach with Davidson soccer are on display daily as he understands the passion and brotherhood that drive the program forward. Coach Spear helped me become a better soccer player, but more importantly, he made me a more well-rounded young man.” -- Matt Reinikka ‘18

“Coach Spear saw something in me that no other college coach saw. He invested time and energy into me and the program, made sacrifices for his players, and went to great lengths to set an example for us. As a result, I grew as a soccer player but even more as a man. Coach taught me things about positioning and ball movement, but more importantly, he taught me about toughness, perseverance, humility, effective communication, servant-leadership, and honesty. It was an honor to be a part of the culture he created and learn from those around me.” – Cort Coxhead ‘18