University of Sioux Falls Athletics

Matt Guiliano is in his ninth season as the University of Sioux Falls Head Baseball Coach. A native of San Diego, he was appointed the Cougars' head baseball coach in May 2007 and has made a mark on the program with a career coaching record of 156-204 (.433).

In 2015, Guiliano directed the Cougars to an 15-35 record overall, including 12-22 for 10th in the NSIC. Freshman outfielder Matthew Minnick was named second team All-NSIC.

During 2014,Guiliano directed the Cougars to an 18-31 record overall, including 12-24 for 12th in the NSIC. 

USF opened up the 2014 season with a 13-9 record, including 7-2 in the NSIC.  For the first time since the transition to DII, the Cougars had an All-NSIC player with Henry Ojeda (7-5, 2.64 ERA, 46 K) earning  second-team honors. Outfielder Noah Durkin was 19th in hitting at .361.

USF impressed many during the 2013 season, its first competing in the highly competitive Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Picked to finish 12th in the league’s preseason coaches poll, the Cougars went 22-22 with a 14-14 league mark to finish ninth in the standings. The Cougars were a run away from qualifying for the NSIC postseason tournament on their first try; falling just short when Winona State held on for a 9-8 win in the regular season finale for both programs.

The Cougars also received attention from the league office; with junior pitchers Noah Coleman and Derek Fischer each being tabbed the NSIC Pitcher of the Week. Coleman earned his POW certificate for leading the Cougars to splits with both Augustana College and Wayne State College. Fischer went 2-0 versus Southwest Minnesota State and Minot State, notched a save and allowed a single earned run in 14.2 total innings for a microscopic 0.61 earned run average.

In 2012, Guiliano steered the Cougars through the challenging transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II athletics. USF opened its provisional campaign with a 20-game road trip that carried them from Missouri to California and the Cougars would only play 13 games at Harmodon Field, their home turf.

The challenges were not limited to just a brutal travel schedule, as the Cougars ended the season with eight straight rainouts that deprived two outstanding seniors of their final jumps across the foul line. First baseman Jimmy Maxwell finished his two-year career with a .318/.428/.601 slash and 77 hits, 14 home runs, 25 doubles, 51 RBI and 44 runs scored. He ranks fifth all-time at USF with 14 home runs and  a .601 career slugging percentage. Maxwell ranks second on USF's single season walk list (30, 2011) and fifth on the single season home run list (12, 2011).

Brady Nolz turned in his Cougar jersey as USF's all-time leader in innings pitched (196.1). Nolz is also tied for first in career appearances (59) and third in strikeouts (139). A second-team all GPAC selection as a junior, Nolz posted a career-high nine strikeouts in the Cougars' 6-2 loss to Minot State (4/7/12).

The Cougars enjoyed a pair of impressive wins in 2012; knocking off No. 15 Minnesota State in the final game of a four-game homestand and later notching a thrilling 6-5 win over crosstown rival Augustana College.

In 2011, Guiliano coached first-team All-GPAC and GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Gold Glove winner Cody Burgener. In addition, pitcher Brady Nolz and first baseman Jimmy Maxwell were tabbed as second-team performers while catcher/infielder Corey Vazquez and pitchers Brandon Compton and Noah Coleman were named All-GPAC honorable mention.

Offense was the bright spot of the Cougars' 2011 campaign. As a team, the Cougars hit .289 with a .377 on-base percentage. Senior leftfielder Cody Burgener led the way, hitting .393 with a team-high 53 base hits. Burgener finished second in the GPAC in batting average, fourth in slugging (.603) and third in stolen bases (28). Junior Corey Vasquez and freshman Dylan Dwyer also eclipsed the .300 plateau. Three starters had on-base percentages of .400 or better as USF drew 151 walks, 33 more than its opponents.

First baseman Jimmy Maxwell shined in his first year in a Cougars jersey. The Southwestern College (Calif.) transfer tallied a slash line of (.298/.445/.677) en route to twice being named the GPAC Player of the Week. Maxwell also led the conference in slugging and was second in homeruns, with 12.

In just his third season at his alma mater, Guiliano guided the Cougars to a 33-17 record in 2010, the most wins in school history. The Cougars' finished second in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) regular season standings with a 19-5 mark, also a new school record. USF won nine of its first 10 games, scored at least 10 runs in 11 games and racked up a 13-game winning streak during the season.

Guiliano's 2010 squad also set a new school record with 132 stolen bases.

Although the Cougars made an early exit from the 2010 GPAC postseason tournament, USF was awarded with 10 players on the All-GPAC Team. Leading the way was designated hitter Bryan Campos, who earned first team All-GPAC honors. Centerfielder Todd Neu, second baseman James Borges, leftfielder Cody Burgener, third baseman Cody Minich and pitcher Jordan Ahrendt were named to the All-GPAC second team, while pitchers Andrew Jenkins, Kenny Tomek and Chris Nichols each garnered third-team accolades. Neu and Borges also earned spots on the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Gold Glove Team.

Under Guiliano's direction in 2009, the Cougars finished the season 13-11 in conference play and 18-23 overall. The Cougars advanced to the GPAC tournament as the no. 8 seed, where they knocked off top seed Nebraska Wesleyan University in the first round before being eliminated on day two of the tournament. Jordan Ahrendt, Andrew Jenkins and Todd Neu each received honorable mention all-conference recognition that season.

The Cougars capped the 2009 season with a 4-2 exhibition win against the Sioux Falls Canaries, the local minor league squad.

Guiliano took the helm of the Cougar baseball program in 2008 and completed his inaugural USF campaign with a 16-28 record and a 12-12 conference mark. Highlights of Guiliano's first season include the Cougars rallying from a three-run, ninth inning deficit to eliminate school rival Northwestern College in the GPAC tournament.

Three Guiliano's players were named all-conference including Bryan Campos (second team), Aaron Baker (honorable mention) and Tyler Gillen (honorable mention).

Guiliano is a graduate of USF, and his name still dots the school's record book. Guiliano remains in the top-5 of several statistical categories, including: single season hits (first, 92), runs scored (first, 67), triples (first, nine) and batting average (second, .511). He is third on the Cougars' all-time career batting average (.452) and ranked first in career triples (10).

In 2006, Guiliano was recognized both as the first team All-GPAC shortstop and the GPAC Player of the Year. He also took home NAIA Region III Player of the Year and NAIA All-American (second team) accolades.

Following his collegiate career, Guiliano joined the San Angelo Colts of the North American League, but a knee injury prematurely ended his professional playing days.

Guiliano returned to Sioux Falls in 2007 and became the student assistant for the USF baseball coaching staff. He also completed a bachelor's degree in exercise science with a minor in business.

During the summer months, Guiliano plays for the Renner Monarchs, the 17-time South Dakota Amateur Baseball Champions.

Guiliano and his wife, Melissa (a USF softball alumnus) reside in Sioux Falls. They have two sons, Brady and Cody.