Matt Bragga Explained

Matt Bragga
Current Title:Head coach
Current Team:Tennessee Tech
Current Conference:Ohio Valley
Current Record:526–479–1
Birth Date:20 July 1972
Player Years1:1991–1994
Player Team1:Kentucky
Player Positions:Utility
Coach Years1:1996
Coach Team1:Northport (AL) Tuscaloosa County (asst.)
Coach Years2:1997–2000
Coach Team2:Bevill State CC
Coach Years3:2001–2003
Coach Team3:Birmingham–Southern (Asst)
Coach Years4:2004–2018
Coach Team4:Tennessee Tech
Coach Years5:2019–2021
Coach Team5:Rice
Coach Years6:2022–present
Coach Team6:Tennessee Tech
Overall Record:577–555–3 (NCAA) 148-86 (NJCAA)
Tournament Record:NCAA: 5–5
Championships:As assistant coach:

As head coach:

  • 4x OVC regular season (2010, 2013, 2017, 2018)
  • OVC tournament (2009, 2017)

Matthew A. Bragga (born July 20, 1972) is an American baseball coach and former utility player, who is the current head baseball coach of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. He played college baseball at Kentucky for coach Keith Madison from 1991 to 1994. He then served as the head coach of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (2004–2018) and the Rice Owls (2019–2021).

Playing career

Bragga was a 4-year letter winner for the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team from 1991 through 1994.[1] He signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds organization and played two years of minor league baseball for the Butte Copper Kings[2] and the Charleston AlleyCats.[3]

Coaching career

In 1996, Bragga began his coaching career as an assistant at Tuscaloosa County High School in Northport, Alabama.[4] The following season, he accepted the head coaching position at Bevill State Community College.[5] In 2001, Bragga accepted a position as an assistant coach at Birmingham–Southern College.[6] The 2001, Birmingham–Southern finished 55–11 and won the NAIA World Series.[7]

On December 5, 2003, Bragga accepted the position of head baseball coach at Tennessee Tech university. He spent 15 seasons as the head coach at Tennessee Tech. After Bragga's first 3 seasons, Tennessee Tech had compiled a record of 46-109 (.297), but in his last 12 years as head coach he accumulated 400 wins and 283 losses (.585). He compiled 6 conference championships in his last 10 years at TTU, culminating with a 53-win campaign in 2018 when his Golden Eagles were 1 win away from reaching the college World Series in Omaha Nebraska.

On June 15, 2018, Bragga was announced as the new head coach of the Rice Owls baseball program.[8]

On May 23, 2021, Bragga was fired after compiling a record of 51–76–1 in 3 seasons.[9]

On November 8, 2021, Tennessee Tech announced that Bragga would return to Tennessee Tech as the 16th coach in program history (he was also the 13th) starting November 11, 2021.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2018 Kentucky Baseball . University of Kentucky . www.ukathletics.com . June 15, 2018.
  2. Web site: Copper Kings outlast Dodgers, 18–17 . August 17, 1994 . The Montana Standard . www.newspapers.com . June 15, 2018.
  3. Web site: Unknown . The San Bernardino County Sun . www.newspapers.com . 10 July 1995 . June 15, 2018.
  4. Web site: TTU Taps Bragga for Baseball Position . November 17, 2003 . Ohio Valley Conference . www.ovcsports.com . June 15, 2018.
  5. Web site: Tennessee Tech coach Matt Bragga has deep connection to Butch Thompson . June 2, 2017 . USA Today . www.sports.usatoday.com . June 15, 2018.
  6. Web site: Bears bound for NJCAA tourney . Andrew Carroll . May 25, 2001 . Tuscaloosa News . www.tuscaloosanews.com . June 15, 2018.
  7. Web site: Central grads lead BSC to NAIA baseball title . Tomy Deas . June 14, 2011 . Tuscaloosa News . www.tuscaloosanews.com . June 15, 2018.
  8. Web site: Matt Bragga Named 21st Baseball Coach . June 15, 2018 . CBS Interactive . www.riceowls.com . June 15, 2018.
  9. Web site: Rice fires baseball coach Matt Bragga . May 24, 2021 . Joseph Duarte . Houston Chronicle . www.houstonchronicle.com . May 25, 2021.
  10. Web site: Matt Bragga returning as Tennessee Tech's head baseball coach . Mike Organ . November 8, 2021 . Tennessean . www.tennessean.com . November 9, 2021.