Minnesota State University - Mankato Athletics

One of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division II baseball, Matt Magers has built a program with hallmarks that include success both on the field and in the classroom.

Coach Magers completed his 16th season as head coach in 2023-24 and has guided the Mavericks to six Northern Sun Intercollegiate regular-season championships, seven NSIC postseason tournament titles, 14 NCAA tournament appearances, five NCAA regional tournament first-place finishes. His teams have also made four trips to the DII College World Series, where the Mavericks have placed second (2013), third (2014 and 2012) and seventh (2010).

Minnesota State racked up a 38-17 won-loss mark under the guidance of their first-year skipper in 2009 and in addition to claiming the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference postseason tournament title, made an appearance in the 2009 NCAA Division II Central Regional. The Mavericks finished the year ranking 14th in the country in strikeouts per nine innings (8.8) and 24th in winning percentage (.691).

His second year, in 2010, Magers was named American Baseball Coaches Association/Diamond Sports Company NCAA Division II Regional Coach of the Year after guiding the Mavericks to a 44-16 overall mark and first in the NSIC with a 25-7 record. Besides taking the NSIC regular season title, MSU grabbed the NSIC postseason tournament crown and traveled to Farmington, N.M., to capture the NCAA Central Region title. The Mavericks then advanced to the 2010 Division II College World Series in Cary, N.C., where they finished seventh.

MSU went 40-12 in 2011 and in addition to capturing the NSIC regular-season title, earned a spot in the NCAA postseason tournament for the third year in a row under Magers. He earned NCBWA Central Region Coach of the Year and NSIC Coach of the Year honors in 2011.

In 2012, Minnesota State enjoyed its highest-win total under Magers finishing with a 51-12 mark. The Mavericks claimed NSIC regular-season and tournament championships, hosted and won the NCAA Central Region title, and advanced to the 2012 Division II College World Series placing third. Magers was named NCBWA Central Region Coach of the Year and NSIC Coach of the Year, both for the second consecutive year. MSU ranked 1st in the nation with a .977 fielding percentage.

The 2013 season was the best-ever under Magers and in Minnesota State baseball history in terms of a national finish as the Mavericks ended the year 42-9 overall in advancing to the 2013 NCAA Division II College World Series for the third time in the four years where they finished second in the country, winning three consecutive games before falling to Tampa, 8-2, in the national championship game. The Mavericks also claimed the NSIC tournament championship, in addition to hosting and winning the NCAA Central Region tournament. Magers made history by becoming the first head coach in MSU baseball history to be named NCBWA National Coach of the Year. He also picked up the ABCA Central Region Coach of the Year honors, as Minnesota State led the country in fielding percentage for the second straight season at .979 and also ranked first in strikeouts per nine innings at 9.2.

The 2014 season was another historic season under Magers as the Mavericks ended the year with a 48-11 overall record, winning the NSIC regular season and advanced to the 2014 NCAA Division II College World Series for the fourth time in five years. MSU won three straight after dropping the first game at the World Series before falling in the semifinals 4-3 to Southern Indiana. The Mavericks won four straight in the Regional Tournament in Russellville, Ark., to advance to Cary, N.C.

In 2015, the Mavericks finished 43-9 in Magers' seventh season at the helm and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the seventh consecutive season. The Mavericks finished 2-2 at the NCAA Central Region Tournament in St. Cloud, Minn., where MSU won the first two games over Missouri Southern and Southern Arkansas before dropping the final two to Henderson State and St. Cloud State.

The Mavericks advanced to the eighth straight NCAA Tournament under Magers in 2016 after finishing the year 36-18. For the second straight year, MSU won the first two games at the NCAA Central Region Tournament and then dropped the next two. The Mavericks defeated St. Cloud State 1-0 in 11 innings and Arkansas-Monticello 7-6 before losing to Central Missouri 3-0 and Arkansas-Monticello 13-6 to end the season.

Minnesota State returned to the top of the NSIC in the 2017 season, winning the regular season and NSIC Tournament titles, while going 46-11. Magers led the Mavericks into the NCAA Tournament for the ninth straight season and in the Central Region Tournament in Emporia, Kan., MSU went 2-2 for the third consecutive season. The Mavericks defeated Central Oklahoma 4-0, lost to St. Cloud State 9-4, defeated Arkansas-Monticello 6-5 and lost to Central Oklahoma 3-2 to end the season.

In 2018, the Mavericks did not make the NCAA Tournament for the first time under Magers after finishing the season with a 31-16 record. A rebound year followed in 2019 with Minnesota State posting a 39-15 mark and a trip to the NCAA tournament for the tenth time under his stewardship. In a shortened 2020 season due to COVID-19, the Mavericks were able to play 13 games, going 8-5, before the rest of the season was canceled.  Minnesota State went 39-10 in claiming both the NSIC regular-season and postseason tournament titles in 2021 en route to a third-place finish at the NCAA regional tournament.

The Mavericks finished 39-9 overall in 2022 and won the NSIC Tournament Championship over Augustana 6-5, but fell in a pair of games at the NCAA regional tournament. The 2023 squad boasted a 43-18 record and placed second in the NSIC Tournament Championship before bowing out in the NCAA Super Regional in three games to Augustana.

The 2024 team finished second in the NSIC Regular season and conference tournament before making an appearance as the No. 8 seed in the NCAA regional tournament. The Mavericks finished 37-20 overall, including 29-10 in NSIC play.

Magers spent eight years as a member of the Minnesota State coaching staff prior to being named head coach of the Mavericks on May 23rd of 2008.

Magers, who served as the Mavericks' pitching coach beginning in 2001, was named Associate Head Coach prior to the start of the 2007 campaign. Ten of his pitchers signed pro contracts during his assistant coaching stint with the Mavericks and under Magers, the MSU pitching staff led the North Central Conference in earned run average four times (2.84 in 2007, 3.82 in 2006, 3.45 in 2005 and 4.73 in 2004), ranked second twice (5.45 in 2003, 5.17 in 2008) and third once (4.95 in 2002). MSU led the nation in strike-outs per game in 2007 and his time as an assistant coach with the program, MSU won four league titles, made five NCAA tournament appearances and amassed a 271-137 record for a .664 winning percentage.

A native of nearby Gaylord, Minn., Magers played at South Dakota State from 1995 through 1997. A three-time all-conference pick (All-NCC once, Honorable Mention twice), the left-handed Magers was named the NCC’s Southern Division Top Pitcher in 1997. He was drafted in the 16th round by the Chicago Cubs in 1997 and played for two and a half seasons for Cub affiliates in Williamsport, Pa., (1997) and Rockford, Ill. (1998).

Magers, who owns a master’s degree in Sport Management from MSU, served as an assistant coach for the Mankato Mashers of the Northwoods League during the 2000 season.

Matt Magers at Minnesota State Year-By-Year as Head Coach

Year	Year #	GP	W	L	Pct	NSIC	NSIC Tourney Result	NCAA Regional Result	NCAA Championship Result
2009	1	55	38	17	.691	2nd	1st	Qualified	38th
2010	2	60	44	16	.733	1st	1st	1st	7th
2011	3	52	40	12	.769	1st	6th	Qualified	T-26th
2012	4	63	51	12	.810	1st	1st	1st	3rd
2013	5	51	42	9	.824	2nd	1st	1st	2nd
2014	6	59	48	11	.814	1st	6th	1st	3rd
2015	7	52	43	9	.827	2nd	5th	3rd
2016	8	54	36	18	.667	4th	5th	3rd
2017	9	57	46	11	.807	1st	1st	3rd
2018	10	47	31	16	.660	4th	t-7th
2019	11	54	39	15	.722	2nd	t-7th	4th
2020	12	13	8	5	.615	---	---
2021	13	49	39	10	.796	1st	1st	3rd
2022	14	48	39	9	.813	2nd	1st	3rd
2023	15	61	43	18	.758	2nd	2nd	1st
2024	16	57	37	20	.649	2nd	2nd	Qualified
2025	17	58	51	8	.864	1st	1st	2nd
Totals		891	675	216	.757

Notables
NSIC Coach of the Year in 2011, 2012, 2017, 2021
2010 Rawlings/ABCA Region Coach of the Year
2012 Rawlings/ACCA Region Coach of the Year
2013 NCBWA National Coach of the Year
2021 NCBWA Central Region Coach of the Year