Education
• B.A.,
Economics, Hobart College (1990)
Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Cornell University (Nov. 2013 - 2017)
• Assistant Coach, Cornell University (2013)
• Associate Head Coach, Georgetown University (2012)
• Head Coach, Jacksonville University (2009-11)
• Head Coach, Hobart College (2002-08)
• Assistant Coach, Georgetown University (1999-2001)
• Head Coach, Alfred University (1996-98)
• Assistant Coach, University of Pennsylvania (1995)
• Head Coach, Randolph-Macon University (1992-94)
Honors & Accomplishments
•ECAC League Co-Coach of the Year (2008)
• Team USA Assistant Coach – Silver Medal at FIL World Championships (2006)
• Patriot League Coach of the Year (2002)
• 1997 - “Babe” Kraus Division III Coach of the Year (1997)
• 1996 Super Six Lacrosse League Coach of the Year Award (1996)
Coaching At Cornell
Matt Kerwick was named the Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse at Cornell University on June 11, 2014. Kerwick, who served in the position on an interim basis during the 2014 season, became the 11th head coach in the programs’ 122-year history.
One of just a handful of NCAA Division I head coaches to take three different teams to the NCAA tournament, Kerwick has led Cornell to a combined record of 32-26 (13-11 Ivy), two Ivy League championships, two Ivy League Tournament appearances, and two berths to the NCAA tournament.
He has coached 23 All-Ivy selections nine All-Americans, one Ivy League Player of the Year and one Ivy League Rookie of the Year. A coach that demands excellence in the classroom as well as on the field, Cornell has had five players named USILA Academic All-Americans, two Academic All-Ivy selections, one CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree, one Senior CLASS Award winner, and one YRL Unsung Hero finalist.
Kerwick Notables
• Kerwick’s head coaching stint with the Big Red began with a bang, as the 2014 team opened the year with a 9-0 record and was the last undefeated team in the nation. The 9-0 start was the best by a first-year coach in Cornell history since Ned Harkness won 22 straight.
• The 2014 squad was selected 17th overall in the 2014 Inside Lacrosse Face-Off Yearbook Preseason Poll, marking the first time since being tabbed 11th in 2003 that Cornell was chosen to finish outside the top 10. Once the season began on Feb. 22, the team rose in the USILA poll for four straight weeks before earning a No. 2 ranking on March 24. Altogether, the team stayed in the top 10 for five straight weeks.
• The 2014 team finished the season ranked first in the Ivy League in points per game, scoring margin, scoring offense, ground balls per game, and shot percentage, while ranking second in the Ivy League in assists per game, caused turnovers per game, face-off winning percentage, man-up offense and fewest turnovers per game.
• The 2015 squad ranked in the top 10 of the USILA Coaches Poll in 10-of-13 weeks during the season, rising as high as No. 7 on March 16.
• After back-to back Ivy League Championships in his first two seasons, Kerwick faced one of his toughest coaching tests to date, fielding one of the youngest teams in the nation. Of the 39 players that saw action during the 2016 season, more than one-third (15) were freshmen, including seven that started at least one game. The freshman class proved to be the second highest scoring rookie class in program history with 82 points coming from seven players.
• For the second consecutive season, Kerwick coached one of the youngest teams in the nation, as the 2017 freshmen set the school record for points by a rookie class (112).
Notable Cornell Pupils
• Jeff Teat ’20 – Teat broke Rob Pannell's Cornell freshman scoring record with 72 points.
• Colton Rupp ’19 – Rupp finished the 2016 season with 23 goals to rank fourth in Cornell history for the most goals scored by a freshman, behind Sean Greenhalgh (39 in 2002), Matt Wise (29 in 1995), and Rob Pannell (25 in 2009).
• Christian Knight ’17 – The 2014 Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Knight was just the second player in the history of the Ivy League to earn five men's lacrosse Rookie of the Week honors.
• Connor Buczek ’15 – The 2014 Ivy League Player of the Year, as a senior Buczek became the first midfielder in Cornell history to score 40 goals in a season, and just the seventh midfielder in the history of the Ivy League to record both 40 goals in a single season and 100 goals in a career.
• Brennan Donville ’16 – After spending three seasons as the Big Red’s back-up goalie, Donville ended his senior year ranked third in the Ivy League in goals-against average (10.22) and was fourth overall in both save percentage (.511) and saves per game (10.38). He was named the Ivy League Player of the Week and the NCAA Defensive Player of the Week after helping the Big Red upset No. 17 Virginia with a career-high 16 saves on March 12, 2016.
• Rob Pannell ’13 – The 2013 Tewaaraton Trophy winner, Pannell set the NCAA Division I all-time career points record (354). He capped his senior season by ranking third in the nation in points per game (5.67), third overall in assists per game (3.06), and 14th overall in goals per game (2.61). Pannell finished the 2013 campaign with 102 points, just three off the school record, set by Mike French in 1976.
Prior to Cornell
Kerwick spent the 2012 season with Georgetown, working as an associate head coach on Dave Urick’s staff. Kerwick played for Urick at Hobart College.
Prior to his time at Georgetown, Kerwick spent two seasons building the program at Jacksonville University, which played its inaugural season at the Division I level in 2010. Kerwick went to Jacksonville with 13 years of combined head coaching experience at Randolph-Macon, Alfred and his alma mater, Hobart, where he spent seven seasons.
During his time with the Statesmen, Kerwick served as the assistant
coach for the US Men’s Lacrosse team that won silver at the 2006 FIL World Championships. He also led Hobart to the Patriot League championship in 2002 and to two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002, 2004). After winning the conference championship in 2002, he earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. Kerwick was also selected as the ECAC Co-Coach of the Year in 2008 after guiding Hobart to an 8-6 record, including a win over No. 15 Loyola (Md.).
Kerwick began his coaching career as the head coach at Randolph-Macon, where he spent three seasons before being named an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania. He revived the program at Randolph-Macon, leading the Yellow Jackets to a 27-14 record, at the time the three most successful seasons in the program's history.
After one season at Penn, Kerwick took the head coach position at Alfred University and in his three seasons he led the Saxons to the postseason each year, earning a spot in the 1997 NCAA Tournament field, as well as berths in the 1996 and 1998 ECAC Upstate Tournament. Alfred was 25-17 (.595) in his three seasons. Following his 1996 Super Six Lacrosse League Coach of the Year Award, Kerwick was named the 1997 "Babe" Kraus Division III Coach of the Year.
Kerwick moved on from Alfred to Georgetown for his first stint as an assistant coach on the Hoyas’ staff. During his three seasons, Kerwick helped Georgetown amass a 36-9 record and make an appearance in the final four in 1999 before returning to his alma mater as head coach.
Playing Career
Kerwick’s played for Hobart College, where he was a two-time All-American, won four consecutive Division III national championships, and was named the 1989 NCAA Tournament MVP. An all-around athlete, he was also a four-year letter winner on the Statesmen hockey team, serving as captain of both the lacrosse and hockey teams during his senior season. Kerwick finished his career by being named the William C. Stiles Award winner, presented to the Hobart senior student-athlete for leadership, determination and character. Following his collegiate career, he played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1991 through 1996, earning the Baltimore Thunder's "Unsung Hero" award twice and was an All- Star selection in 1992.
Personal
Kerwick resides in Skaneateles with his wife Mary and their two sons, Thomas and Sean.
