University of Richmond Athletics
Meet The 2014 Spiders - Matt Tyner
02/11/2014 | Baseball
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond Spiders baseball team begins the 2014 season at the North Florida Tournament on February 14.
Leading up the Opening Day, RichmondSpiders.com will introduce Spider fans to all 30 Richmond players as well as the coaching staff with the “Meet the Spiders” series.
Matt Tyner
Assistant Coach – Recruiting Coordinator
RS.com: What do you tell recruits about Richmond?
Matt Tyner: This place is a palace! 3000 undergrads on 350 acres of manicured grounds! This university is a combination of new and old architecture when it comes to the buildings. It is truly is a campus that takes your breath away. Coach Woodson has put together a pretty dynamic coaching staff and combining academics with athletics is what we are about here. We'll do our best to prepare you to get drafted after your junior year and if that doesn't happen then we want you to be in a position to graduate after your senior year. We are also realistic when it comes to the professional baseball draft and think prospective student athletes want to hear how difficult it is to make it. That is why the academic piece is so important. Here at Richmond I feel confident that our players realize the impact a degree from Richmond can have on their lives and why we hold them to a very high standard when it comes to their academics. We achieved a 3.03 team GPA this fall and we are very proud of that. Now if we can hit .303 and have an ERA under that we'll have a pretty good year.
RS: Three words that describe you best…
MT: Energy, effort, real
RS: Favorite MLB player of all-time?
MT: Cal Ripken
RS: Any pregame superstitions?
MT: Used to as a player, not now. I can't swing it, field or throw it anymore so those days are gone. I place my hand over my heart and listen to the National Anthem, and then I give thanks to God for allowing me to step on the field again.
RS: One thing most people don't know about you?
MT: Plenty and I'm going to keep it that way!
RS: Biggest accomplishment?
MT: Great question and I'm sure that you're looking for a baseball related answer but I tell all of my players and recruits that I'm a dad first-so becoming a father and raising two wonderful children has been the biggest accomplishment I have had.
RS: Best piece of advice you've been given?
MT: We all get caught up in this saying or that saying, and don't get me wrong because I feel they all have merit and can be useful. But as my months turn into years, I get older and one piece of advice my mentor, Skip Bertman, gives me every time he sees me is simple-have some fun in whatever you are doing and try to add some fun in others' lives. I think he is telling me to remember our time is truly limited and to enjoy everything we do!
RS: Longest road trip you've been on?
MT: Until I played in the Old Southern League I had never been on a road trip as long as the one from Memphis to Savannah. Thank goodness we only made it once a year and I'm was a two-year veteran of that one. Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean by bus! Don't think I want to do that one again. This year will be a pretty big challenge to me as we embark on a couple 10 hour drives!!
RS: Favorite sport other than baseball?
MT: Golf. Last chance to truly be competitive!
RS: Favorite road trip food/meal?
MT: Got to watch my weight, but if I could, I would remain a fast food junky!
RS: Best baseball memory?
MT: So many! Three trips to the College World Series as a player at the University of Miami mean I was part of three Regional Winners. Won the Carolina League as a player and won the GLVC Conference Tournament as a Head Coach with Bellarmine University. Individually, hit three homeruns in one game as a minor leaguer and dropped one bomb off of Scott MacGregor a LHP for the Baltimore Orioles while still playing with the University of Miami in an exhibition game in 1980. That one left a mark because I had a hard time controlling my emotions and promptly went into the outfield and dropped two fly balls! The only time that EVER happened-promise! The best memory that I will add to this list will be the accomplishments that this team will achieve this year! Special team will produce a special year. Can't wait to add them all next year!
