University Southern California Trojans
Photo by: Eric Isaacs/UCSB Photo Services
USC Women's Volleyball Hires Matt Jones as Associate Head Coach
January 21, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
Jones has served as head coach at UC Santa Barbara for each of the last three seasons
LOS ANGELES – The USC women's volleyball program has hired Matt Jones to the position of associate head coach seventh-year head coach Brad Keller announced on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
"Matt is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in our game, and I am excited to welcome him into our program," said Keller. "He is a proven talent and anyone who watched UC Santa Barbara play the last several years knows just how prepared and competitive his teams and athletes are. We're looking forward to getting Matt on campus, getting to work in the gym, and officially welcoming him and his family to our Trojan Family!"
At UC Santa Barbara, Jones led the Gauchos to a Big West title, an NCAA tournament berth, and was named the Big West Coach of the Year in 2023. UCSB went 27-5 overall in his first season at the helm and had a 17-1 mark in league contests. The Gauchos were 14-16 (10-8 Big West) in 2024, but Jones' squad finished tied for second the Big West in 2025—his final season with the Gauchos—with a 23-9 record; 14-4 in conference. As a three-year head coach, Jones is 64-30 and went 41-13 as part of the Big West.
Jones first joined the UCSB staff in the spring of 2017 as an assistant coach under Nicole Lantagne Welch and served as the team's defensive coordinator for five seasons (2017-21). He was chosen for the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 award in 2020 and with him directing the team's defense, the Gauchos ranked in the top third in the Big West in digs per set, total digs, blocks per set, and total blocks in 2018.
Jones was promoted and became UCSB's associate head coach in 2021 and served two seasons in that role (2021-22). He also assumed duties as the Gauchos' offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Under his guidance, the Gaucho offense reached third in the NCAA for assists per set, was fourth in kills per set, and ranked 19th for hitting percentage.
Prior to UCSB, Jones spent one year (2016-17) as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's volleyball programs at Harvard where his responsibilities included coordinating the teams' offense, planning and coordinating travel, and directing camps.
Jones was the head coach for the Santa Barbara City College men's volleyball team for three years (2013-16) in his first collegiate coaching appointment. He concurrently served as director and head coach of the 18U boys' squad at Santa Barbara Volleyball Club. Jones also has experience at the high school ranks as head boys beach volleyball coach at Laguna Blanca High School. In 2013, he coached Coast Volleyball Club's 16-2 team and was an assistant for the 18-1s.
As a pro athlete, Jones played outside hitter for Volley Bartreng in Luxembourg and was the first Harvard men's volleyball alumnus to sign a professional contract. In his only season with the team, he helped Bartreng reach the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Jones was a collegiate student-athlete at Harvard (2008-12) and was a key member of a Crimson team that received its first-ever national ranking at No. 15 during his senior year. He served as the team's captain during both his junior and senior seasons and was chosen for All-EIVA first team and EIVA all-tournament team honors. Jones received a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics with a focus in statistics from Harvard in 2012. A La Jolla, California, native, Jones and his wife Alyssa have two children.
Last fall, USC finished the regular season tied for third in the Big Ten. The Trojans were 25-7 overall with a 15-5 record in the Big Ten and were awarded one of 33 at-large berths—and a hosting bid—into the 2025 NCAA tournament. USC made its fourth straight appearance in the tourney under head coach Brad Keller (41st all-time) and moved into the second round for the fourth consecutive year with a 3-0 sweep of Princeton. The Women of Troy were eliminated from postseason play in a hard-fought five-set loss to Cal Poly in the second round.
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
"Matt is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in our game, and I am excited to welcome him into our program," said Keller. "He is a proven talent and anyone who watched UC Santa Barbara play the last several years knows just how prepared and competitive his teams and athletes are. We're looking forward to getting Matt on campus, getting to work in the gym, and officially welcoming him and his family to our Trojan Family!"
At UC Santa Barbara, Jones led the Gauchos to a Big West title, an NCAA tournament berth, and was named the Big West Coach of the Year in 2023. UCSB went 27-5 overall in his first season at the helm and had a 17-1 mark in league contests. The Gauchos were 14-16 (10-8 Big West) in 2024, but Jones' squad finished tied for second the Big West in 2025—his final season with the Gauchos—with a 23-9 record; 14-4 in conference. As a three-year head coach, Jones is 64-30 and went 41-13 as part of the Big West.
Jones first joined the UCSB staff in the spring of 2017 as an assistant coach under Nicole Lantagne Welch and served as the team's defensive coordinator for five seasons (2017-21). He was chosen for the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 award in 2020 and with him directing the team's defense, the Gauchos ranked in the top third in the Big West in digs per set, total digs, blocks per set, and total blocks in 2018.
Jones was promoted and became UCSB's associate head coach in 2021 and served two seasons in that role (2021-22). He also assumed duties as the Gauchos' offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Under his guidance, the Gaucho offense reached third in the NCAA for assists per set, was fourth in kills per set, and ranked 19th for hitting percentage.
Prior to UCSB, Jones spent one year (2016-17) as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's volleyball programs at Harvard where his responsibilities included coordinating the teams' offense, planning and coordinating travel, and directing camps.
Jones was the head coach for the Santa Barbara City College men's volleyball team for three years (2013-16) in his first collegiate coaching appointment. He concurrently served as director and head coach of the 18U boys' squad at Santa Barbara Volleyball Club. Jones also has experience at the high school ranks as head boys beach volleyball coach at Laguna Blanca High School. In 2013, he coached Coast Volleyball Club's 16-2 team and was an assistant for the 18-1s.
As a pro athlete, Jones played outside hitter for Volley Bartreng in Luxembourg and was the first Harvard men's volleyball alumnus to sign a professional contract. In his only season with the team, he helped Bartreng reach the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Jones was a collegiate student-athlete at Harvard (2008-12) and was a key member of a Crimson team that received its first-ever national ranking at No. 15 during his senior year. He served as the team's captain during both his junior and senior seasons and was chosen for All-EIVA first team and EIVA all-tournament team honors. Jones received a Bachelor of Arts in applied mathematics with a focus in statistics from Harvard in 2012. A La Jolla, California, native, Jones and his wife Alyssa have two children.
Last fall, USC finished the regular season tied for third in the Big Ten. The Trojans were 25-7 overall with a 15-5 record in the Big Ten and were awarded one of 33 at-large berths—and a hosting bid—into the 2025 NCAA tournament. USC made its fourth straight appearance in the tourney under head coach Brad Keller (41st all-time) and moved into the second round for the fourth consecutive year with a 3-0 sweep of Princeton. The Women of Troy were eliminated from postseason play in a hard-fought five-set loss to Cal Poly in the second round.
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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