Bio

The 2026-27 season marks Matt Carpenter's fifth as the head baseball coach at Avila and his 16^th overall as a member of the Avila baseball coaching staff.

The 2026 season was the third-straight 20-win season for Carpenter’s squad.

Carpenter’s 2026 season was highlighted by a All-KCAC Second Team selection for left fielder Tommy English, who hit .390 on the season – the highest batting average by an Avila baseball player in the last five years. Additionally, right fielder/designated hitter Dylan Atherton was named All-KCAC Third Team and was the recipient of Avila’s Male Transfer Athlete of the Year as part of Avila’s End of Season Awards.

Additionally, highlighting Carpenter’s fourth season was a doubleheader sweep at Oklahoma Wesleyan on April 18 was the program’s first DH sweep in Bartlesville in program history.

The 2025 campaign was the program’s second-straight KCAC Tournament appearance and one of the highlights of Carpenter’s third season was the Avila baseball program earning KCAC Team of Character recognition for their tremendous work off the field in the Avila and Kansas City communities.

Carpenter also coached five All-KCAC Second Team honorees, led by Avila Athletics Male Athlete of the Year, Zach Dillman.

In addition to the postseason honors, Carpenter’s tutelage saw Aidan Johnson’s selection as KCAC Pitcher of the Week for the week of March 17-23.

Carpenter's second season in the Avila dugout saw the Eagles go 22-30 with the team's first-ever appearance in the KCAC Tournament. Landon Vahle was named First Team All-Conference as a utility player and junior Zach Dillman was named Second Team All-Conference as a catcher.

In his first season as head coach, Avila went 18-30 as senior catcher Kurt Trotter and junior shortstop Landon Vahle were awarded Honorable Mention All-KCAC status.

Carpenter's baseball career started in 2002 by building the baseball program at Plaza Heights Christian Academy in Blue Springs, Mo., from the ground level and ultimately leading them to a MAACS National Championship. He continued coaching at the high school level for several years before becoming an assistant coach at Maranatha Baptist University in Watertown, Wis.

A member of the 2012 Avila baseball team enshrined in the Avila Hall of Fame, Carpenter has been a part of multiple conference championships and regional appearances during his time with the Eagles.

A lifelong Kansas Citian, Carpenter resides in Blue Springs with his wife, Kendra and children, Ava and George.