Mat Keplinger comes to SJSU from San Francisco where he spent two seasons as the interim head coach. In his final season, the Dons secured a 28-29 record and a berth in the West Coast Conference Tournament.
In Keplinger's first season, though shortened to only 17 games, the Dons saw their staff ERA lowered by more than a run from 2019. The staff also had a better-than 2-to-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio, a year after having a ratio of 1.76. USF went 7-2 in its final nine games played, with the pitching staff allowing four or less runs in six of those (the team went 6-0 in those games). Junior reliever Alex Pham was named West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 2-8, 2020, in Keplinger's first year at the helm of the staff.
Keplinger came to the Hilltop after spending seven years as the pitching coach for California junior college powerhouse Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The Mustangs made seven consecutive "Elite Eight" appearances in the California Community College Athletic Association championship and five "Final Four" appearances, winning a state title in 2018, during his seven-year tenure.
Keplinger built the Mustangs into a pitching powerhouse, producing 28 pitchers who transferred to NCAA Division I programs, nine MLB draft picks, four All-Americans, three Big 8 Conference Pitchers of the Year, two California State Pitchers of the Year, and two other pitcher of the year awards from the Pacific Association and the California Community College Sports Information Association. Keplinger's staff led all of California in strikeouts on three occasions, and also led the state in ERA in 2015.
PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE
- Interim head coach San Francisco (2021-22)
- Assistant coach San Francisco (2019-2021)
- Assistant coach San Joaquin Delta College (2012-2019)
- Coached 2018 CCCAA State Champions
- University of Nevada pitcher (2006-2011)
- Three-time All-Western Athletic Conference All-Academic
EDUCATION
- Fresno Pacific (master’s degree in kinesiology 2015)
- University of Nevada (bachelor's degree in journalism 2011)
HOMETOWN
- Stockton, Calif
FAMILY
- Fiancé is Yemisi Omolayole and has a one-year-old daughter, Abisola