Matthew Deemer

Matthew Deemer came to Portland ahead of the 2023 season as an assistant coach for Portland Pilots Men’s Soccer, signing on as the recruiting coordinator and goalkeeper coach for the Pilots. Deemer helped guide the Pilots to a 12-5 record overall and a 5-2 record in WCC play, helping Portland make their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

Portland earned a first-round bye for the first time since 1988 after earning a 11-seed in the tournament. With Deemer's guidance, Portland soccer had 10 Pilots earn All-WCC honors and three earn WCC awards, including the WCC Defender of the Year, WCC Midfielder of the Year and WCC Freshman of the Year. Portland had three United Soccer Coaches All-West Region selections, two All-Americans and Portland's first MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist since 2002. Three Pilots were taken in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft as well, the most in program history in a single draft.

Prior to joining the Pilots, Deemer spent three seasons from 2021-23 at the University of San Diego, helping guide the Toreros as an assistant coach to one of the best seasons in program history. The Toreros went 6-0-1 in conference play to finish undefeated against WCC opponents for the first time since 2000, secure the WCC title and qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. Working primarily with the goalkeepers, Deemer coached the WCC Co-Goalkeeper of the Year and was named to the United Soccer Coaches West Region Coaching Staff of the Year. San Diego also had the WCC Defender of the Year, the WCC Freshman of the Year, 13 All-WCC selections and two All-West Region selections under Deemer’s guidance. Before joining San Diego, Deemer served as an assistant coach at the University of Saint Katherine's for a year after spending three years as an assistant coach from 2018-20 at San Diego State University.

Both during and after his four-year career at Chapman University as a goalkeeper, Deemer coached at various levels from high school to MLS Next. He began his coaching career as the Chapman Women’s Club Team Head Coach in 2015 and also was the head JV coach for Villa Park High School from 2015-17. During that time, he was also an assistant coach for LA Galaxy San Diego. Deemer was named head coach of Villa Park’s varsity team for the 2017-18 season, helping them reach the CIF Finals and earning CIF Coach of the Year honors in the process. Deemer had a stellar career in the CIF as a goalkeeper for Carlsbad High School and is the only person to win both CIF Player of the Year and CIF Coach of the Year in a four-year span.