University Southern California Trojans
Women's Volleyball
Matt Jones
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- mjones90@usc.edu
Matt Jones is in his first season (2026) as an associate head coach for the USC women’s volleyball program.
Jones was previously the head coach at UC Santa Barbara for three seasons (2023-25) where he 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 head coach, Jones is 64-30 and went 41-13 in his three seasons as part of the Big West.
Jones first joined the UCSB staff in the spring of 2017 as the program’s 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 as the team’s defensive coordinator, 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.
Jones was previously the head coach at UC Santa Barbara for three seasons (2023-25) where he 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 head coach, Jones is 64-30 and went 41-13 in his three seasons as part of the Big West.
Jones first joined the UCSB staff in the spring of 2017 as the program’s 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 as the team’s defensive coordinator, 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.
USC Women's Volleyball vs Cal Poly PostGame Press Conference (12/05/25)
Thursday, December 11
USC Women's Volleyball Highlights vs. Cal Poly
Friday, December 05
USC Women's Volleyball vs. Princeton Highlights | Trojans win 3-0
Thursday, December 04
Women's Volleyball - USC 3, Michigan 1: Highlights (11/28/25)
Friday, November 28
