LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Bellarmine University Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt announced today that Matt Tyner will become the school's head baseball coach, effective immediately.

“Matt is a great fit for Bellarmine University,” said Wiegandt, who is a former Bellarmine baseball All-American as well as a former Bellarmine head coach. “He has extensive experience at different levels of baseball, and his enthusiasm is infectious, which will go a long way in building a competitive, cohesive baseball team.”

Tyner comes to Bellarmine after most recently serving as associate head coach for Butler University. A former professional in the Orioles organization, Tyner has a wealth of coaching experience at the collegiate, youth and camp levels.

He completed two different stints on the Butler staff and also coached several youth baseball teams in the Indianapolis area, winning back to back 17-under national titles when he was an assistant coach for the Indiana Bulls. Also a veteran of multiple camps, Tyner has owned and been lead instructor at camps in Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. The Bellarmine post will be his first collegiate head coaching position.

“I really can't express in words how much this opportunity means to me,” Tyner said. “I plan to hit the ground running, and I can't wait to start working with my new team. And by new team, I mean not just the players, but also my fellow coaches and staff members. I'm also looking forward to building strong relationships in the Louisville baseball community.”

A highly successful collegiate player in his own right, Tyner was a 4-year starter for the University of Miami, where he helped lead the Hurricanes to three College World Series. A power hitting outfielder, Tyner was named the 1980 Baskin Robbins Player of the Year and tied the Miami home run record.

Tyner was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the 9th round of the 1980 Major League Baseball draft. He spent three years in the Orioles system, leading the entire organization in home runs in 1981 with 33 while hitting at a .301 clip. His professional career ended in 1983, cut short due to multiple surgeries for bone chips in his right elbow.

Tyner, a native of Decatur, Ill., completed his bachelor's degree in business communications at Concordia University's Indianapolis campus.