Louisiana State University at Alexandria

Matthew Lillard comes to LSU of Alexandria with 3 years of college coaching experience, including stops at the University of Dallas in 2021 and Franklin College from 2022 to 2023. Lillard has worked primarily with outfielders and hitters but will also assist in all aspects of the program alongside Head Baseball Coach Kody Gautreaux. 
 
Lillard played baseball initially at Millsaps College and later at Hendrix College, where he lettered three years and was named First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-South Region, and All-Arkansas Honorable Mention his junior year. Additionally, Lillard was Academic All-Conference from 2015 to 2018. During his junior season, Lillard set the school RBI single-season record with 56 in 42 games. He lost his senior year to injuries but graduated from Hendrix College with a B.A. in History. Lillard enrolled in graduate school and played his last year of college baseball at Hardin-Simmons University, where he received an MBA in Sports Business in May 2021. While pursuing his Master’s Degree, Matthew continued playing baseball in the Pecos League and California Winter League. 
 
While coaching at Franklin College, Lillard helped lead the Grizzlies to a 62-27 record which included back-to-back regular season conference titles in 2022 and 2023 for the first time in program history.  The 2023 squad finished the season with a 33-13 record, a conference tournament championship, and a trip to the NCAA Division 3 Regional in Birmingham, Alabama.  Serving as first base coach during the 2023 campaign, Lillard coached 15 all-conference selections during his two years at Franklin College, including 2022 Region 8 Player of the Year Logan Demkovich and 2023 Conference Player of the Year Jonathon LaGuire-Cruz.  

Matthew is a native of Dallas and graduated from Highland Park High School where he lettered three years in baseball and was an all-district outfielder.