Matt Aker

Coach Aker, son of former major league pitcher and coach Jack Aker, pitched and played infield at Ole Miss in the prestigious Southeastern Conference. Aker also served on Ole Miss’ coaching staff, he then began his head coaching duties at Magnolia Heights School in Senatobia, MS, and later moved on to Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood, Fla. for ten seasons before becoming the head coach at Greensboro.

The 2012 season was a banner year on the mound for the Greensboro College Baseball Program. The Pride have progressed in each of the last three seasons, finishing 7th, then 4th, and finally 3rd this season in the USA South standings. Pride pitchers led the USA South Athletic Conference in ERA (3.18), Fewest HR allowed (4), Fewest Hits Allowed (283), Fewest Runs Allowed (166), and Fewest Earned Runs Allowed (109). In addition, the Pride finished 21st nationally in Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (8.26), and 26th in ERA. Individually, Michael Cobb (Sr., Union, SC) finished 14th in the country with a 1.44 ERA. The Pride also set numerous Team Records and several Individual Records.

As an assistant at GC, Aker was instrumental in the development of the program. He served six seasons as the hitting, outfield, and base-running coach for The Pride and also worked with pitchers. In 2006, The Pride reached the USA South championship game for the first time since 1998, and defeated eight ranked teams during the season. GC set a program record with seven all-conference honorees, including five first team selections. Under his guidance, Pride hitters batted over .300 as a team for six consecutive seasons, while leading the USA South in at least one offensive category in each of those years. Under Aker’s tutelage, Pride hitters have set or tied 21 individual records. He also mentored two USA South Conference Players of the Year (Jess Maloney, 2006 and Larry Lockhart, 2005), four All State selections, 13 First- Team USA South All Conference selections, 7 All- Region Players, one Rawlings Gold Glove winner, and one All American (Jess Maloney, 2006).

As a head coach, Aker's high school teams won seven consecutive conference titles, and he was named Coach of the Year for six consecutive years. Aker coached the North State All Star team twice while in Mississippi, and has had numerous players go on to college baseball careers, five of whom were taken in the Major League Baseball Players Draft. Aker also served as an assistant varsity football coach.

Aker attended Palm Beach Community College for two of his college seasons. At PBCC, he was named Scholar Athlete of the Year, and made the Dean's List each semester. Aker earned all conference honors, and was picked to play in the Florida Junior College All Star Game.

As a high school standout at Chaminade- Madonna College Prep, in Hollywood, Florida, Aker was named the Broward County District 15-3A Athlete of the Year for Baseball, Miami Herald Scholar Athlete of the Year, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel Scholar Athlete of the Year, All-State Infielder, National Army- ROTC Scholar Athlete, and represented Broward County in the State High School All- Star Game.

He and his wife, Keisha have three children: Mallory, Cole, and Blaine