Matt Senk
{{short description|American college baseball coach}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Matt Senk
| image = Matt Senk (cropped).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Senk in 2014
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Cortland State University
Adelphi University
| player_years1 = 1977–1980
| player_team1 = Cortland State
| player_positions = Catcher
| coach_years1 = 198?
| coach_team1 = Elwood (NY) John Glenn (Asst.)
| coach_years2 = 198?–1987
| coach_team2 = Rockville Centre (NY) Saint Agnes
| coach_years3 = 1988–1990
| coach_team3 = Uniondale (NY) Kellenberg Memorial
| coach_years4 = 1991–2025
| coach_team4 = Stony Brook
| overall_record = 971–696–4
| tournament_record =
| championships = *6× America East Regular season Championships (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2021)
- 6× America East Tournament championships (2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2019)
- NCAA Regional Champion (2012)
- NCAA Super Regional Champion (2012)
- College World Series Appearance (2012)
| awards = *America East Coach of the Year (2011, 2012, 2014)
- NCBWA National Coach of Year Award (2012)
| coaching_records =
}}
Matt Senk is an American college baseball coach who served as the head coach of the Stony Brook Seawolves. Senk held the head coaching position at Stony Brook from 1991 until his retirement in 2025.{{cite web |title=2010 Stony Brook Seawolves Baseball Media Guide |url=https://issuu.com/stonybrookathletics/docs/2010baseball_media_guide?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed |work=Issuu |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809133934/http://issuu.com/stonybrookathletics/docs/2010baseball_media_guide?viewMode=magazine&mode=embed |archivedate=9 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=College Baseball Conference Standings – 2010 |url=http://www.boydsworld.com/data/standings/standings2010.html |work=BoydsWorld.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214060631/http://www.boydsworld.com/data/standings/standings2010.html |archivedate=14 February 2013 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=America East Conference 2012 Season Preview |url=http://blogs.eastonbaseball.com/collegebaseballtoday/2012/02/11/2012-preview-america-east/ |work=CollegeBaseballToday.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313202956/http://blogs.eastonbaseball.com/collegebaseballtoday/2012/02/11/2012-preview-america-east/ |archivedate=13 March 2016 |date=11 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=LSU to Host Stony Brook in Super Regional |url=http://www.ksla.com/story/18700714/lsu-to-host-stony-bror |work=KSLA.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032607/http://www.ksla.com/story/18700714/lsu-to-host-stony-bror |archivedate=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} Under Senk, Stony Brook has won America East Conference baseball tournaments in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2019, appearing in the NCAA tournament each of those seasons.{{cite web|title=America East Baseball Record Book |url=http://www.americaeast.com/fls/14000/records/base.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=14000z |work=AmericaEast.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530204319/http://www.americaeast.com/fls/14000/records/base.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=14000 |archivedate=30 May 2012 |url-status=dead }} In 2012, Stony Brook won the Coral Gables Regional and advanced to the Baton Rouge Regional to face LSU. After defeating LSU in a three-game series, the team moved on to the College World Series for the first time in program history. It was the first time that a school from the Northeast had reached the College World Series since 1986.{{cite web |title=Stony Brook Defeats L.S.U. to Advance to College World Series |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/sports/stony-brook-defeats-lsu-to-advance-to-college-world-series.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=12 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612142904/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/sports/stony-brook-defeats-lsu-to-advance-to-college-world-series.html |archivedate=12 June 2012 |date=11 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}
Senk won the 2012 America East Conference Coach of the Year Award and went on to win the NCBWA National Coach of Year Award.{{cite web |title=2012 Coral Gables Regional |url=http://www.collegebaseballinsider.com/12Postseason/CoralGablesReg.html |url-status=dead |work=CollegeBaseballInsider.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714131632/http://www.collegebaseballinsider.com/12Postseason/CoralGablesReg.html |archivedate=14 July 2014}}{{cite web|title=Senk named 2012 NCBWA Coach of the Year|url=http://www.goseawolves.org/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/061512aab.html|work=goseawolves.org|accessdate=22 June 2012}}
Career
Senk graduated from John Glenn High School in 1976 and attended Cortland State for college, where he played catcher.{{Cite web |last=Marcus |first=Steven |date=2012-05-26 |title=Senk loves being big fish in SBU's small pond |url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/stony-brook/senk-loves-being-big-fish-in-sbu-s-small-pond-r31643 |access-date=2024-10-15 |website=Newsday}} In college, Senk started for three years and was a two-time All-SUNYAC selection and the team's Most Valuable Player in his senior year.{{Cite web|url=https://stonybrookathletics.com/staff.aspx?staff=288|title=Matt Senk - Head Coach - Staff Directory|website=Stony Brook University Athletics|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}}{{Cite web|url=http://www2.cortland.edu/departments/biology/news-detail.dot?id=2922089e-af8d-4968-a24c-b1c5b2da3d9d|title='40 for 40' Celebrates Div. III Week - SUNY Cortland|website=www2.cortland.edu|access-date=2019-06-02}} He earned his master's degree in physical education at Adelphi University.
Senk coached high school teams at St. Agnes Cathedral and Kellenberg Memorial on Long Island before leaving his position to start coaching Stony Brook's Division III baseball team in 1991. Senk recruited shortstop Joe Nathan of Pine Bush, New York, to play for Stony Brook through a Pine Bush assistant coach that was a former college teammate of his.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbstatesman.com/2017/05/13/matt-senk-the-steady-hand-in-the-swift-growth-of-stony-brook-baseball/|title=Matt Senk: the steady hand in the swift growth of Stony Brook Baseball|last=Oakes|first=Tim|website=The Statesman|date=14 May 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-02}} Nathan would become Senk's first recruit to reach the major leagues when he debuted for the San Francisco Giants as a pitcher in 1999.
In 2004, Senk won his first America East tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament regionals for the first time in the program's Division I history.{{Cite web|url=https://stonybrookathletics.com/news/2004/5/29/Seawolves_Crowned_America_East_Champions.aspx?path=baseball|title=Seawolves Crowned America East Champions|website=Stony Brook University Athletics|date=29 May 2004 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}} Senk won his first America East Coach of the Year in 2011 after guiding the Seawolves to their first conference regular season championship and ending the season 42–12 while going 22–2 in conference play.{{Cite web|url=https://americaeast.com/news/2011/5/24/205154349.aspx?path=baseball|title=Regular-Season Champion Stony Brook Sweeps Individual Awards|website=americaeast.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02}} In 2012, Senk guided the Seawolves to their fourth NCAA tournament regional after earning the most wins in the country; the Seawolves would win the Coral Gables Regional as the four-seed and then upset the LSU Tigers in the Baton Rouge Super Regionals to reach the first College World Series in program history, while also becoming the first Northeast school to accomplish the feat since 1986 and the first New York school since 1980. Finishing the season at 52–15, Senk won the NCBWA National Coach of the Year award.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/awards/coach/index.html|title=NCBWA > Awards > National Coach of the Year|website=www.sportswriters.net|access-date=2019-06-02}}
In September 2019, Senk was given an extension through the 2024 season.{{Cite web |last=Tam |first=Ethan |date=2019-09-29 |title=Athletics announces extension for Senk through 2024 |url=https://www.sbstatesman.com/2019/09/29/athletics-announces-extension-for-senk-through-2024/ |access-date=2020-04-03 |website=The Statesman |language=en-US}}
In 2022, Senk was inducted into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |last=Release |first=Press |date=16 January 2022 |title=Legendary Seawolves Coach Matt Senk enshrined in Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame |url=https://tbrnewsmedia.com/legendary-seawolves-coach-matt-senk-enshrined-in-suffolk-county-sports-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=TBR News Media |language=en-US}} The America East Conference suspended Senk for the first nine games of the 2022 season "in response to an incident that occurred during the 2021 season in which Coach Senk acted contrary to NCAA Baseball Rules and America East Bylaws governing conduct."{{Cite web |last=Lindsay |first=Matt |date=2021-08-10 |title=Stony Brook baseball head coach to serve nine-game suspension |url=https://www.sbstatesman.com/2021/08/10/stony-brook-baseball-head-coach-to-serve-nine-game-suspension/ |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=The Statesman |language=en-US}}
On March 8, 2023 with a 15–5 victory over LIU, Senk won his 900th game, becoming the seventh active Division I baseball head coach to win 900 games at one school.{{Cite web |title=Baseball Offense Explodes Against LIU; Coach Senk Records 900th Career Victory |url=https://stonybrookathletics.com/news/2023/3/8/baseball-bats-explode-against-liu-coach-senk-records-900th-career-victory |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=Stony Brook University Athletics |date=8 March 2023 |language=en}}
On May 8, 2025, Senk announced that he will retire following the 2025 season after 35 years at Stony Brook.{{cite press release|url=https://stonybrookathletics.com/news/2025/5/8/baseball-matt-senk-announces-retirement-after-35-seasons-at-stony-brook.aspx|title=Matt Senk Announces Retirement After 35 Seasons at Stony Brook|publisher=Stony Brook Seawolves|date=May 8, 2025|access-date=May 8, 2025}}
Head coaching record
Below is a table of Senk's yearly records as an NCAA head baseball coach.{{cite web |title=2012 America East Baseball Standings |url=http://www.americaeast.com/standings/Standings.dbml?&SPSID=59708&SPID=6544&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=14000 |work=AmericaEast.com |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424162946/http://www.americaeast.com/standings/Standings.dbml?&SPSID=59708&SPID=6544&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=14000 |archivedate=24 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|last=Marcus |first=Steve |title=Haag Leads Seawolves |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/101800963.html?dids=101800963:101800963&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+12%2C+1994&author=Steve+Marcus&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Haag+Leads+Seawolves&pqatl=google |accessdate=8 June 2012 |newspaper=Newsday |date=12 May 1994 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307001606/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/101800963.html?dids=101800963:101800963&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=May+12%2C+1994&author=Steve+Marcus&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Haag+Leads+Seawolves&pqatl=google |archivedate=7 March 2016 |location=Long Island, NY |page=A92 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last=Pelzman |first=J.P. |date=1994-12-19 |title=Stony Brook in a League of Its Own |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition-stony-brook-in/157207022/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306201731/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/newsday/access/101904753.html?dids=101904753:101904753&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+19%2C+1994&author=By+J.P.+Pelzman.+STAFF+WRITER&pub=Newsday+(Combined+editions)&desc=Stony+Brook+in+a+League+of+Its+Own&pqatl=google |archivedate=6 March 2016 |accessdate=2024-10-15 |newspaper=Newsday |location=Long Island, NY |page=A40 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web|title=Bruce Kirsh |url=http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/information/directory/bios/kirsh_bruce |work=Athletics.FranklinPierce.edu |accessdate=8 June 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514102032/http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/information/directory/bios/kirsh_bruce |archivedate=14 May 2012 |quote=He served as the assistant commissioner to the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), one of the most competitive all-around NCAA Division II conference in the nation before its run ended after the 1999–2000 season. |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=2013 America East Conference Baseball Standings |url=http://www.americaeast.com/standings/Standings.dbml?&SPSID=59708&SPID=6544&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=14000 |work=AmericaEast.com |accessdate=May 25, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424162946/http://www.americaeast.com/standings/Standings.dbml?&SPSID=59708&SPID=6544&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=14000 |archivedate=April 24, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Patriots
|startyear=1991
|conference=Skyline Conference (Division III)
|endyear=1994
|
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1991
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 16–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1992
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 17–12–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1993
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 13–14–1
| conference = 2-6
| confstanding = T-4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1994
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 26–9
| conference = 7-1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Patriots
|startyear=1995
|conference=Independent (Division III)
|endyear=1995
|
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1995
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 30–8
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Seawolves
|startyear=1996
|conference=New England Collegiate Conference (Division II)
|endyear=1998
|
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1996
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 27–14
| conference = 9-9
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1997
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 15–19
| conference = 9-7
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 23–11–1
| conference = 12-3-1
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 1999
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 36–12
| conference = 12-4
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Seawolves
|startyear=2000
|conference=New York State Baseball Conference (Division I)
|endyear=2001
|
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2000
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 30–11
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 35–16
| conference = 10–0
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Seawolves
|startyear=2002
|conference=America East Conference
|endyear=2022
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 27–24
| conference = 11–11
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = America East Tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2003
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 33–21
| conference = 15–9
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2004
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 29–27
| conference = 11–10
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2005
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 23–28
| conference = 10–11
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2006
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 25–29
| conference = 13–8
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2007
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 31–24
| conference = 16–7
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2008
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 34–26
| conference = 14–10
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2009
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 29–23
| conference = 14–10
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference tournament
| season = 2010
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 30–27
| conference = 15–9
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2011
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 42–12
| conference = 22–2
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2012
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 52–15
| conference = 21–3
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = College World Series
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2013
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 25–34
| conference = 15–15
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2014
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 35–18
| conference = 18–5
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2015
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 35–16–1
| conference = 18–4–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 27–27
| conference = 11–8
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 26–26
| conference = 12–10
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 32–25
| conference = 12–12
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2019
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 31–23
| conference = 15–9
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 6–9
| conference = 0–0
| confstanding =
| postseason = Season canceled because of COVID-19
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2021
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 31–18
| conference = 25–10
| confstanding = 1st {{small|(Division B)}}
| postseason = America East tournament
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = division
| season = 2022
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 27–25
| conference = 21–9
| confstanding = 1st {{small|(Division B)}}
| postseason =
|
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead|
|name=Stony Brook Seawolves
|startyear=2023
|conference=Colonial Athletic Association
|endyear=2025
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2023
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 23–29
| conference = 14–16
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2024
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 24–28
| conference = 12–15
| confstanding = T-8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2025
| name = Stony Brook
| overall = 25–27
| conference = 11–16
| confstanding = T-8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall=971–696–4 ({{winpct|971|696|4}})
|conference=37–47 ({{winpct|37|47|0}})
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Stony Brook Seawolves baseball coach navbox}}
{{America East Conference Baseball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senk, Matt}}
Category:Cortland Red Dragons baseball players
Category:Adelphi University alumni
Category:Stony Brook Seawolves baseball coaches
Category:Baseball coaches from New York (state)