Matt Aker has been named head baseball coach at Greensboro College, announced Pride Athletics Director Jean Lojko.
Aker completed his sixth year in the 2009 season as a GC assistant coach. He has served as the hitting, outfield, and base-running coach for The Pride. The son of former major league pitcher and coach Jack Aker, he pitched at Ole Miss and graduated in 1993.
“We are very excited that Matt Aker will lead our baseball program,” said Lojko. “Matt is an outstanding person who we believe will lead Pride baseball to a championship. He is familiar with the players, the program and the USA South Conference and has great interpersonal skills. Matt will be a great addition as a full-time athletics staff member.”
As an assistant at GC Aker has been part of much GC success. 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 have hit 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. The Pride has led or come in second in 23 top offensive categories over the past four seasons.
While at Ole Miss, he was primarily a pitcher, but also saw time in the outfield and at third base. Aker was an assistant at Ole Miss in 1993 and a high school head coach at Magnolia Heights in Senatobia, Miss. and Chaminade-Madonna in Hollywood, Fla. for ten seasons before coming to Greensboro.
Aker attended Palm Beach Community College for his two college seasons. He was the PBCC 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 head coach, Aker’s high school teams won seven consecutive conference titles and he was named Coach of the Year six consecutive years. He coached the North State All Star team twice while in Mississippi. He had numerous players go on to college baseball careers and three players taken in the Major League Baseball Players Draft. Aker also served as a assistant varsity football coach.
Aker becomes the third head coach in program history. He follows Scott Rash and Ken Carlyle. Rash started the program in 1996. Carlyle then took over in 2003 before resigning last month.
In addition to coaching at GC, Aker worked since 2004 as the technology facilitator at Greensboro Academy.
Aker and his wife, Keisha have three children: Mallory, Cole, and Blaine. They reside in Kernersville.