Silver City, N.M – Director of Athletics Scott Noble announced (today) the hiring of Matt Cross. Cross will take over the Men's Basketball program after the promotion of previous head coach Matt Enriquez earlier this year.
The Mustang men finished 5-20 overall this season, 2-16 in Lone Star Conference play.
Matt Cross comes to Silver City after spending two season with the Pilots of LSU – Shreveport as the Head Women's Basketball Coach. While with the Pilots, Cross accumulated a 46-15 record, including an undefeated 15-0 record at home in his first season.
Cross began his coaching career as the Assistant Varsity Boys Basketball Coach and Head Junior High Boys Basketball Coach at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, LA, where he helped the Crusaders to a berth into the 2003 LHSAA Class AA State Playoffs where they advanced to the regional round.
Coach Cross has been winning since the beginning and has made quite an impact on the programs he has taken over. In four consecutive seasons he led Texas College (21 wins in 2008), Talladega College (25 wins in 2009) and Lamar State (20 wins in 2010 and 26 wins in 2011) to record setting seasons in wins.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education with a minor in History from the University of Arkansas at Monticello in 2005.
"We are excited about Coach Matt Cross accepting this position," said Director of Athletics Scott Noble. "His 12 years of head coaching experience, numerous post-season appearances, a national championship, puts his winning percentage over 73 percent and among the best young coaches out there today. Matt has a strong moral character, which fits with our Mustang MAGIC culture. He is not only a winner on the court, but understands that character trumps talent by his team's performance in the classroom and the community. It is truly a great day to be a Mustang!"
"I am very humbled and honored to be the next Head Men's Basketball Coach at Western New Mexico University," said Matt Cross. "I'd like to thank Dr. Shepard, Scott Noble and the entire search committee, including former Head Coach Matt Enriquez, for giving me this incredible opportunity. I can't wait to get started in Silver City, where we will win championships, graduate our players, and represent Western New Mexico University with great pride."
CROSS' COACHING TIMELINE
TEXAS COLLEGE (2007-2008)
*Became the youngest head coach at 23 years old
*Went 21-12 and led the Steers to their first and only NAIA Conference Championship (RRAC)
TALLADEGA COLLEGE (2008-2009)
*Record at TC: 25-7
*Defeated U. S. Small College and Michigan Hall of Fame Coach Garth Pleasant's Rochester College in the 2009 U. S. Small College National Championship Game at 25 years old
*Led the Tornadoes to the No. 1 ranking in the final USCAA Coaches' Poll
LAMAR STATE COLLEGE-PORT ARTHUR (2009-2012)
*Record at LSC-PA: 70-30
*Led the Seahawks to their first winning season in school history in 2010
*Led the Seahawks to the school's only trip to the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas
*Guided the Seahawks to the school's only Texas Eastern Conference Regular Season Championship and Region 14 Tournament Championship
*Became the first coach in the East Texas College ranks to win the Region 14 Tournament Championship and the Region 14 Regular Season Title the following season in over a decade
*Defeated NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Scott Gernader's San Jacinto College in the finals of the 2011 Region XIV Conference Tournament Championship Game at the age of 27
*Defeated 12 nationally ranked teams in three seasons with the Seahawks
*Graduated 10 of 12 sophomores while at Lamar State-Port Arthur, seven of those 10 signed NCAA DI scholarships, all 12 went on to play at a four-year institution
TALLADEGA COLLEGE (2012-2017)
*Overall Record at TC: 152-49
*2014: finished the regular season ranked No. 6 in the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference East regular season title, won the Tornadoes its first ever GCAC Tournament Championship, took the Tornadoes to their first ever trip to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City and reached the "Sweet 16"
*2015: guided the Tornadoes to a school record 32-wins, finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, won the GCAC regular season title and the GCAC Tournament Championship reached the "Fab Four" in the National Tournament in K. C.
*2016: won the GCAC Regular Season Crown, finished the regular season ranked No. 4 in the NAIA Men's Basketball Coaches' Poll, reached the "Sweet 16" in the National Tournament in Kansas City
* Since returning to Talladega in 2012 for his second stint, Cross has turned Talladega into a NAIA juggernaut as they have been ranked in the Top 25 of the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Poll for 47 consecutive polls, the third longest active streak in the nation trailing only behind NAIA traditional powerhouses Georgetown (54-straight) and Pikeville (59-straight)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
*Five Coach of the Year Awards as head coach
*Lamar State-Port Athur's all-time winningest basketball coach in winning percentage
*Talladega's all-time winningest basketball coach in wins
*Career Record: 289-106
*Career Post Season Record: 24-10
Has Coached….
*Six All-Americans
*One National Player of the Year
*Three Conference Player of the Year Recipients
*Three Conference Tournament MVP Recipients
*24 All-Conference Players
*Has graduated 85% of Players that Complete Eligibility
* One of Only two coaches to have one both a GCAC Championship and a RRAC Championship, the other is former LSUS men's basketball coach-Chad McDowell
CROSS' YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD
Years School W-L
2007-08 Texas College 21-12
2008-09 Talladega College 25-7
2009-10 Lamar State-Port Arthur 20-11
2010-11 Lamar State-Port Arthur 26-11
2011-12 Lamar State-Port Arthur 24-8
2012-13 Talladega College 19-14
2013-14 Talladega College 29-6
2014-15 Talladega College 32-5
2015-16 Talladega College 25-6
2016-17 Talladega College 22-11
2017-18 LSU – Shreveport 31-2
2018-19 LSU – Shreveport 15-13
TOTAL 289 - 106
