Matt Noland joined the UNF volleyball coaching staff in July of 2021 as a volunteer assistant coach before being elevated to assistant coach and recruiting coordinator April 4 of 2022.
"It's an honor to be a part of the volleyball staff at North Florida in this new role," Noland said. "I'm excited to support the team as we continue the UNF tradition of excellence and community. I'm equally excited for the future of North Florida volleyball as we grow and pursue greater heights each day. I'd like to thank Coach Wright for the opportunity to work with this team in such a positive environment. I'd also like to thank Nick Morrow and Ervin Lewis for the privilege of working in such a supportive culture that the entire staff and UNF lives out daily."
Noland first arrived at North Florida in July of 2021 as a volunteer assistant coach, a role he served in throughout UNF's 25-8 fall 2021 campaign. The 2021 season saw North Florida set countless records, reaching the program's first-ever postseason tournament beyond the ASUN Championship while earning a DI-era record for wins and RPI.
On Dec. 25, 2023, Noland was selected with fellow assistant coach, Brandon Row, to the Volleyball Magazine College Coaching Hotshots Lists after a 17-15 record during the 2023 season.
In Noland's first season as a full-time assistant in the 2022 season, UNF went 9-7 in league play, finishing with an above .500 record in conference play for the third time in as many seasons. It was the first time in UNF's DI era that the Ospreys posted three-straight years above .500 in conference competition. Mahalia White was named to the second team all-conference squad, while Rocio Moro was named ASUN Defensive Player of the Year for the third-straight time. Rising stars, Savannah Cook and Kierstyn McFall, were both all-freshmen picks.
No stranger to being on the staff of teams during record-setting seasons, Noland was a volunteer assistant coach with the University of Pittsburgh coaching staff during the Panthers' historic year in the spring of 2021. During his year at Pitt, the Panthers made the program's first-ever Elite 8 while going 19-5. While in the Steel City, Noland sharpened his coaching skills through working with all-americans Kayla Lund, Chinaza Ndee and Chiamake Nwokolo.
At Pittsburgh, Noland aided in scouting reports, practice planning, team management and student-athlete development on and off the court. Noland served in a similar role with North Florida last year, combining to go 47-13 at the Division I level as a volunteer assistant coach.
Noland's playing and coaching experience includes some of the most varied and enriching stops. A native of the snowy and remote Akalvik, Northwest Territories province in Canada, Noland played two years of volleyball at the international juniors level before traveling to the United States where he was a standout captain volleyball player at Maranatha Baptist University (MBU) in Watertown, Wis.
His impact at MBU could not be overstated. Noland helped take the Sabercats from a one-win program to a championship team in just a two-year span. Noland not only served as a student-athlete but handled a myriad of administrative duties at MBU.
At MBU, Noland earned both his bachelor's and master's degree while earning Wisconsin Volleyball Conference MVP honors and a conference title. The versatile player garnered time on the court under the tutelage of two-time AVCA NCCAA Coach of the Year, Regina DeLozier.
The Northwest Territories native made the jump to a US territory when he took over as the director of athletics at Harvest Christian Academy in MongMong-Toto-Maite, Guam. During that time he was also a member of the Guam Men's National Indoor Volleyball Team from 2017-20. Noland also founded and coached the METGOT Volleyball Club while in Guam.
Noland's time in Guam cultivated a skill set that stretched far beyond the game of volleyball as he took on the task of coordinating administrative elements of the school's 13 teams. He was charged with leading a staff of coaches, full-time and part-time employees and student staff across the department.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
"It is with great joy and pride that I congratulate Matt on earning his first assistant position here at the University of North Florida. I want to welcome his wife Annah to the #SWOOPLife family in full capacity. The connection and impression Matt made on our administration, support staff and student-athletes made it easy to select Matt as the next first assistant for UNF volleyball. Matt's references are some of the best in women's volleyball and all they cannot say enough about Matt as a coach, but more importantly, as a person. To best describe Matt, he is a player's coach that will make a strong and loyal assistant, understanding the dedication required to be successful. He loves volleyball, has a high IQ, learns quickly and has an elite understanding of what it takes to hit our goal of winning the ASUN Conference and going to the NCAA Tournament." - Kristen Wright, Head Coach North Florida Volleyball
"The term captain, player or player-coach was not just a title for him as he was the first to arrive and last to leave the gym to make sure responsibilities were met. He modeled patience and leadership as he took men who had never played the game and taught them the fundamentals and team play required to compete at the collegiate level. He was a fantastic liaison between the athletic staff and players, and he is sincerely a player that you miss and will remember forever." -- Regina DeLozier, head women's volleyball/head men's volleyball coach and associate professor at Maranatha Baptist University
"Congratulations to both Matt and Kristen on a great hire. Matt's work ethic as well as his commitment to learning will bring a lot to the Osprey volleyball program. He's well deserving of this promotion and he will do a fantastic job." -- Dan Fisher, head volleyball coach at the University of Pittsburgh
"Matt is among the top five percent of coaches I have mentored and worked with in all of my years of coaching. He is an excellent coach and teacher, and he is an outstanding person." -- Terry Liskevych, current CEO and president of Total Sports, LLC/The Art of Coaching Volleyball and former head volleyball coach at Oregon State and USA Volleyball
