| Alma Mater: |
Missouri |
| Graduating Year: |
2008 |
Matt Huskey joined the Billiken staff prior to the 2017 season as an assistant coach. With the Billikens, he oversees the scouting efforts, match preparation and video analysis, while also performing various administrative tasks.
The 2021 season was Huskey's fifth with the Billikens.
SLU finished 18-12 in 2021, matching its highest win total since the 2016 season. The team posted an 11-5 record in A-10 play and was tabbed the No. 3 seed in the A-10 Championship. Maya Taylor and Jillian Mattingly earned a spot on the All-Conference first team and All-Academic team, while Delaney Rice and Kate Aupperle were selected to the All-Conference second team. Aupperle was also tagged the A-10 Roookie of the Year and earned a spot on the league's All-Rookie team.
Mattingly was named an AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention after leading the A-10 and ranking 24th in the NCAA with a .389 hitting percentage. That number broke Arlene Lampe's 1983 record for a single season by a Billiken.
Taylor wrappped up her Billiken career ranking first in attack attempts (5,024), third in kills (1,844), fourth in matches played (128), fifth in points (2,023.0) and seventh in kills per set (3.80). Following the season, Taylor signed a professional contract with UVC Holding Graz.
Due to COVID-19, the Billikens played 18 matches in the spring of 2021 instead of the fall of 2020. The team finished with an 8-10 record and went 6-4 in Atlantic 10 play. Taylor earned a spot on the All-Conference first team, while Kennedy Cordia and Mattingly were selected to the All-Conference second team. Taylor and Cordia also received All-Academic team nods, while Mattingly was tabbed to the All-Rookie team.
2019 was a successful year for the Billikens, as SLU finished with a 17-12 (11-5) record, nine more wins that the previous season. SLU rattled off eight consecutive wins early in conference play, helping them earn the third seed in the Atlantic 10 Championship. Senior Sien Gallop was named to the All-Conference first team, while juniors Cordia and Taylor earned second team nods. Cordia was also named to the conference's All-Academic team.
The Billikens went 8-20 (6-8) in 2018, earning the sixth seed in the A-10 Tournament. Taylor earned All-Conference first team honors, and Giovanna Charles was put on the A-10 All-Rookie team.
2017 was a great year for the Billikens as the squad posted a 10-4 Atlantic 10 record and third place finish in the league. Gallop earned first-team All-Conference honors, while freshman outside hitter Taylor garnered the A-10 Rookie of the Year award. Gallop led the nation with 0.67 service aces per set and topped the league with 3.76 kills per set. Senior middle blocker Lauren Leverenz and freshman setter Cordia also earned All-Conference accolades, as Leverenz was named to the All-Conference second team and Cordia was selected to the All-Rookie squad.
Before joining SLU, Huskey was the head assistant coach for the Bears at Central Arkansas. He was in charge of all team training in practice, led the program’s recruiting efforts and served as the in-match defensive coordinator. Under Huskey’s tutelage, UCA had an AVCA All-American, a Southland Conference Player of the Year, an AVCA All-Region honoree, a Southland Conference volleyball Student-Athlete of the Year and several All-Conference accolades.
Prior to Central Arkansas, Huskey served as an assistant coach at Bradley from 2013-15. In Peoria, he helped the Braves to some of their most successful seasons of the 2000s. In 2013, Bradley posted its highest digs-per-set average (17.06) since 2006, as Huskey helped coach Lauren Zerante to the second-best single-season dig total in school history. The Braves tallied their most wins (13) and MVC wins (7) since 2005 and earned a spot in the MVC Tournament for the first time in eight seasons. Huskey also helped Bradley capture its first All-MVC selection since 2006.
Huskey served as a volunteer assistant at Georgia for two seasons (2011-12) prior to his time at Bradley, helping the Bulldogs to improved win totals in each of his two years. He served as Georgia’s video coordinator while assisting with opponent scouting and serving as a mentor to Jasmin Eatmon, who earned SEC All-Freshman honors in 2012. Huskey was an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, working mainly with the Owls’ outside hitters and liberos while serving as FAU’s camp coordinator.
While attending college at Missouri, Huskey helped lead the Mizzou men’s club team to the 2006 national championship. He graduated in 2008 with a degree in business administration. A native of St. Louis, Huskey was the starting libero as a junior on Saint Louis University High’s state championship team and played eight years of club volleyball for St. Louis CYC.
