The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
McGee named Track & Field assistant coach
07.24.2018 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Edrick Floréal announced the addition of Matthew McGee to his Track & Field staff on Tuesday.
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Track & Field Head Coach Edrick Floréal announced the addition of Matthew McGee to his coaching staff on Tuesday. McGee, who will coach vertical jumps and combined events, spent the past three seasons at the University of Arizona.
"I'm excited to complete my coaching staff with the hiring of Matthew McGee," Floréal said. "He will do a great job with our vertical jumps and combined events student-athletes. I have followed him from his success as a student-athlete at Washington State to his coaching career at both Washington State and most recently at Arizona. I know he will be a great addition to our staff and for our program."
"Coach Floréal's vision for the program is exactly in line with what I'm looking to be a part of," McGee said. "As such, performing my role in this vision and being dedicated to supporting bringing it to life, will truly be my pleasure. I've admired Coach Floréal for many years having worked alongside him for quite a few and have always believed working with him would be very rewarding. He is well respected in our profession by those whose opinions I hold in the highest regard."
During his three seasons at Arizona, McGee mentored student-athletes who garnered nine All-America honors and won five Pac-12 Conference titles. In addition, Alyssa Thompson was named the 2018 Pac-12 Conference Women's Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the Year under McGee's watch.
"I have been incredibly fortunate to work for two truly outstanding head coaches in my career," McGee continued. "First Rick Sloan at Washington State and then Fred Harvey at Arizona. Their experience, guidance and friendship through the years are what have allowed me to be in a position to begin an exciting challenge such as this, and I cannot thank them enough and will not stop attempting to do so.
"I'm very much looking forward to beginning my time at The University of Texas. Having attended many Texas Relays and NCAA meets at Mike A. Myers Stadium over the years, I already have a great understanding and appreciation for the excitement around our sport that exists here. I look forward to having this opportunity to help develop the best student-athletes in the country on the Forty Acres."
During the 2018 season, two student-athletes coached by McGee qualified for NCAA Outdoors. In addition to her Scholar Athlete of the Year award, Thompson qualified for NCAA's in the heptathlon. Men's high jumper Bryant O'Georgia also qualified for the meet in Eugene. Thompson was a two-time Pac-12 All-Conference performer and an All-American in three seasons under McGee. She set personal bests in both the heptathlon and pentathlon during her senior season, culminating with a third-place finish in the heptathlon at the Pac-12 Championships.
In 2017, Lisanna Hagens claimed the Indoor MPSF title as well as her second consecutive Pac-12 Outdoor title in the high jump. She earned first team All-America honors during the indoor season and was joined on the podium at MPSF Indoors by freshman Karla Teran. Teran also qualified for NCAA Outdoors in 2017. On the men's side, Justice Summerset became the first Arizona true freshman high jumper to claim first team All-America honors at both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. He finished third outdoors and seventh indoors.
In McGee's first season at Arizona, Pau Tonnesen placed second at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships in the heptathlon. Tonnesen also improve his personal best in the pole vault to win the MPSF Indoor title. During the outdoor season, Tonnesen earned his second consecutive Pac-12 Decathlon title and finished fourth at NCAA Outdoors to claim Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Year honors. That summer, McGee coached Tonnesen during the Rio Olympic Games where he finished 17th representing his mother's native country of Spain.
Prior to joining Arizona's staff, McGee spent ten seasons at his alma mater, Washington State, coaching the jumpers and combined event athletes. He coached numerous All-Americans and conference champions in all four of the jumping events.
McGee coached six of the top ten vaulters in the program's history, with Kristine Felix becoming the first pole vault conference champion when she won the Pac-12 title during the 2013 season. Tyson Byers also finished third at the 2007 NCAA indoor Championships.
Five male high jumpers reached at least 7-00 and five females reached at least 5-10.75 during McGee's tenure. Trent Arrivey was a three time All-American, Pac-10 Conference and NCAA West Region champion, reaching a best of 7-4.25 (2.25m). Holly Parent became an All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier reaching a best of 6-0.75 (1.85m).
During the 2015 season WSU had three women reach at least 5-10 (1.78m) in the high jump, with Audrey Ketcham advancing to the NCAA Championships and earning All-America honors after leaping 5-11.50 (1.82m) at the NCAA Preliminary round. Charlotte Muschamp won the Pac-12 women's high jump conference title during the 2014 season. She reached a best of 5-11.5 (1.82m) while also finishing second in the triple jump with a best of 42-1.25 (12.83m).
Stephan Scott-Ellis became a four-time All-American and four-time conference champion in the long and triple jumps.
A native of San Francisco, Calif., McGee attended College of Marin and Diablo Valley College where he competed in the decathlon. He then transferred to Washington State where he walked on as a junior and became an NCAA Prelims qualifier and two-time conference scorer, including a second-place finish in the javelin at the 2003 Pac-10 Championships. He graduated from WSU in 2003 with a degree in philosophy. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic team as well as an Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar second team. He also earned a Pac-10 Post-Graduate Scholarship.
He and his wife Karla have a son, Liam and a daughter, Kaiya.
