Matt Hunter begins his 13th year at the helm of the York College men’s basketball program with the 2024-25 season.
Hunter's Spartans had a banner 2019-20 season with their second Capital Athletic Conference championship in three years with their 79-77 win at Christopher Newport in the conference championship game. The Spartans made their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance as they advanced to the second round for the third straight year. York beat St. John Fisher 88-67 in the opening round before falling to #5 Mount Union in the second round. The Green and White finished with a mark of 23-6 including 9-1 as they earned their third straight CAC Regular Season championship. Senior point guard Jared Wagner was named the CAC Player of the Year while he was joined on the first-team All-CAC squad by junior David Giuliani. Wagner earned NABC All-Region honors and was also named a second-team All-American.
The Spartans were 86-29 between the 2016-17 and 2019-20 campaigns with a pair of conference tournament championships, three regular season CAC championships, three NCAA Tournament appearances, three NCAA Tournament wins, and a pair of CAC Player of the Year award winners.
The Spartans had another strong campaign in the 2018-19 season posting a 22-8 record and a 12-2 mark in conference play as the Spartans were regular season co-champions. The Spartans reached the CAC championship game but fell to Christopher Newport. York earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, the second straight year the Spartans appeared in the national tournament. The Spartans defeated DeSales in their opening round contest but fell to host Randolph-Macon in the second round. Hunter coached two All-CAC players on the year including CAC Player of the Year and Third Team All-American Jason Bady.
Hunter was named region co-coach of the year following the 2017-18 season.
York is finished 2018 with a 24-5 record, including 14-4 in conference play. Hunter led the Spartans to a regular season and CAC tournament title and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament. This was their first appearance in the tournament since 2012 and their first tournament victory since 2005. The Spartans reached national recognition as the 4th ranked team in the country after a 16-game win streak under Hunter. He also coached two first team all-CAC players who also received two NABC All-Middle Atlantic regional honors. The 24 wins were the third most in school history.
The Spartans had a year of growth in 2022-23 as the youthful Spartan squad finished with a record of 14-12 overall and an 8-8 mark in the MAC Commonwealth. York earned a berth in the Commonwealth tournament as they ripped off seven wins in their final nine games to earn a spot in the post season.
York finished 14-11 in 2023-24 and narrowly missed out on a Commonwealth tournament appearance in what turned out to be one of the deepest conferences in the country with three teams earning NCAA postseason berths. The Spartans claimed the Mike Daley Memorial Tournament title to open the season and notched a pair of top-25 wins over Hood and Widener later in the year. Junior forward Kai Cipalla became the program's first All-Region selection in four years as he earned first-team honors in addition to first-team All-MAC Commonwealth honors after leading the league in scoring (20.4 ppg) and field goal percentage (58.4%).
Hunter arrived at York College after spending the previous four seasons as a full time assistant coach at DeSales University. The Bulldogs went 84-32 during Hunter’s tenure on the DeSales bench. The Bulldogs went to a pair of NCAA Tournaments as they advanced to the Elite Eight in 2008-09 and to the Sweet 16 in 2009-10. DeSales won two MAC Freedom Conference championships and played in the championship game in three of the four years he was with the program.
Hunter is no stranger to the Capital Athletic Conference as he was a three-year letter winner at Salisbury University. He graduated from Salisbury with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education in May of 2005. He posted a GPA of 3.62, as he was a three-time CAC All-Academic team selection. Hunter was a two-year captain for the Sea Gulls’ men’s basketball squad.
Hunter has a very definitive idea of what he expects from his Spartan teams.
“I want players who are, first and foremost, great people,” says Hunter. “Being good students and good players are important but I feel kids with great character will provide us with our best chance to be champions. I want our players to have a mindset of hard work and dedication. I also want them to have the willingness to sacrifice for their teammates.”
Prior to Hunter’s stop at DeSales, he was on the staff at The College of New Jersey. While at TCNJ, Hunter was thrust into the role of interim head coach for the 2007-08 season at the age of 24. Prior to being named as the interim coach, he served as a TCNJ part-time assistant for the 2005-06 season. He then moved to the full-time assistant position for the 2006-07 campaign.
Hunter knows what he wants his teams to project.
“I want our teams to be recognized as ones that work hard, play together and play the game the right way. We will respect the game, the opponent and the process of improving as individuals and as a team. I believe that the saying ‘Character is who you are when nobody is watching’ will be very true of our basketball student-athletes.”
The Spartans are 153-141 in Hunter's 12 seasons on the bench. He picked up his 100th win with the Spartans on January 5, 2020 when York recorded an 85-62 win over Marymount in the second round of the Spartan Classic. The Spartans' 2020-21 season was wiped out by COVID-19.
Hunter resides in York with his wife Annie and their children Kelsey, Emma, and Tommy.
Updated: 9/26/2024
