Assistant Coach Matthew Kinney

COACHES

ASSISTANT COACH

The Kinney File

Experience:

Fourth Year at SEMO

Hometown:

Alpharetta, Ga.

Birthdate:

September 24, 1992

Alma Mater: Belmont, 2015

Education:

B.S. Finance (Belmont) Master’s Sports Management (Florida State)

Date Hired:

September 26, 2018

Playing Experience:

Belmont, 2012-15 Florida State, 2016

Coaching Experience:

Cotuit Kettleers, Pitching Coach, 2016 Southeast Missouri, Volunteer Asst. & Operations, 2017 Southeast Missouri, Pitching Coach, 2019-pr.

MATTHEW KINNEY

FOURTH YEAR // BELMONT, 2015

Matthew Kinney is in his fourth year at Southeast Missouri and third as the Redhawks pitching coach.

During SEMO’s 2020 campaign that was shortened to 17 games due to COVID-19, Kinney oversaw a pitching staff that led the Ohio Valley Conference in fewest walks allowed (54). Left-handers Dylan Dodd and Noah Niznik were among league leaders in multiple statistical categories. Both return for the Redhawks this year.

In 2019, Kinney helped guide Niznik to OVC All-Newcomer honors his freshman year. Niznik started 13 games and led the team with a 3.63 ERA, ranked second in innings (62) and third in both strikeouts (49) and wins (3) that season.

Kinney first joined the SEMO coaching staff as Volunteer Assistant and Director of Operations. On the field, his primary responsibilities included pitching, while assisting with hitting and outfield defense. He was also instrumental in organizing the team’s baseball camps.

Prior to that, Kinney played for the Cotuit Kettleers in the Cape Cod League in 2015, and returned as the pitching coach of the Kettleers in 2016. Kinney mentored 14 pitchers who went on to play professionally. He also worked as an assistant with the East Cobb Astros in Atlanta, Georgia in 2013.

A native of Alpharetta, Georgia, Kinney wrapped up his playing career as a lefthanded pitcher at Florida State. He went 3-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 27 appearances in 2016. The Seminoles secured a NCAA Super Regional berth with Kinney pitching out of the bullpen that year. He was among candidates on the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year List.

Kinney began his playing career at fellow OVC member Belmont. He pitched as a freshman in 2012 before medically redshirting the next year. After returning to play 31 games in the outfield in 2014, Kinney transitioned to a full-time pitcher where he struck out 62 and posted a 1.80 ERA in 35 relief appearances in 2015.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Belmont 2015 and Master’s in Sport Management from Florida State in 2016.