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Entering his second season as the pitching coach and recruiting coordinator is Matt Kirby. After one year with the program, Kirby has brought a great deal of success to the Wildcats on both fronts.
The incoming recruiting class for Villanova was named as one of the top groups from around the nation when Collegiate Baseball Newspaper issued its annual look at the top 100 classes. This is the sixth time in the last seven years that the Wildcats have been included in that ranking and the most recent group includes several players who were recruited at the national level.
The Villanova pitching staff enjoyed another strong season under Kirby's guidance in 2007. Starting pitcher Mike Loree was a draft pick of the San Francisco Giants after a year in which he broke the career innings pitched records at both Villanova and in the BIG EAST Conference. Loree pitched a four-hit shutout during the season over eventual College World Series qualifier Louisville, and in the BIG EAST Tournament took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Cardinals.
In addition to Loree's success last year, Jordan Ellis emerged as one of the top starting pitchers on the team and a professional draft prospect as he enters his senior year. Several other pitchers enjoyed success during both the spring and summer seasons. Josh Eidell pitched in the Valley League during the summer and was selected as one of the top 20 prospects in the league.
Kirby came to Villanova during the summer of 2006 and brought with him recruiting connections in Virginia and on the West Coast. He was an assistant coach at Brown in 2006 and helped to oversee all areas of the program. The Bears compiled a 12-8 record in Ivy League conference play during the season.
Prior to his stint at Brown, Kirby was the assistant coach at William & Mary in 2005 and served in the same capacity at Virginia Military Institute in 2004. He worked primarily with the catchers, outfielders and hitters while at William & Mary.
During his collegiate playing career, Kirby was a catcher and pitcher for William & Mary, and batted .326 with 32 runs scored during his senior season. He spent the 2003 season as a student assistant to the team while working towards his degree.
Kirby is single and resides in Norristown.
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