University of the Cumberlands Athletics

Career Highlights
- Entering 5th Season (89-39 Overall Record, 44-24 MSC Record)
- 3x NAIA Appearances
- 2x MSC Regular Season Champions (23-24, 24-250
- 2x MSC Coach of the Year (23-24, 24-25)
- 2x First-Team All-Americans (Jonathan Brown- 23-24 & Anthony Johnson- 24-25)
- 2x MSC Player of the Year (Jonathan Brown- 23-24 & Anthony Johnson- 24-25)


Matt Daniel completed his fourth season as the Head Coach of the Patriots after being elevated in September 2021. He holds an overall record of 89-39 through four seasons and is 44-24.  Daniel spent the two seasons as an Assistant Coach after being hired in July 2019.  Daniel is an alum that graduated from Cumberlands in 2012. Prior to returning to UC, Daniel spent five years as the head coach at Montgomery County High School.

In his fourth season, Daniel led UC to a 24-9 overall record, 10-2 in MSC play, a Mid-South Regular Season Title, an NAIA First & Second Round Championship and a trip to the NAIA Final Site for the second consecutive season. Coach Daniel won his second-straight MSC Coach of the year with Associate Head Coach Kyle Bush being named MSC Assistant Coach of the Year. He coached the MSC Player of the Year and First-Team All-American Anthony Johnson as well as the MSC Defensive Player of the Year in Tajahri Cave. UC scored 3004 points on the year, the third most in program history. 

In his third season, Daniel led UC to a 28-5 overall record, 10-2 in MSC play, a Mid-South Regular Season Title, an NAIA First & Second Round Championship, and to the NAIA Final Site Round of 16 in Kansas City, MO. The Patriots hosted the NAIA First & Second Rounds for the first time in program history, earning wins over Philander Smith and Florida College to win the Williamsburg Bracket. Coach Daniel was named MSC Coach of the Year and had the MSC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in Jonathan Brown and TJ Cave. Daniel had three First-Team All-Conference players in Brown, Anthony Johnson, and J.J. Ramey. The Patriots season concluded in the Round of 16 to Morningside 80-74. 

In his second season, Daniel led the Patriots to a 17-12 overall record, going 11-11 in MSC play. UC hosted the opening round game of the MSC Tourney where they fell to Campbellsville to end their tournament run. This was the final game of the season for UC. Daniel had two First-Team All-Conference players in Jahi Hinson and Steven Fitzgerald this season. 

In his first season, Daniel led the Patriots to a 20-13 overall record, and went 13-9 in MSC play. UC won their opening round game in the MSC tourney before falling in the quarterfinals matchup against Cumberland U. Daniel and his squad qualified for the NAIA Opening Round where their season ended to Grace College 73-71. Daniel had two First-Team All-Conference players in Jahi Hinson and Steven Fitzgerald this season.
 
As a player, Daniel was a standout for the Patriots helping lead them to an 85-44 recorded and qualifying for three NAIA National Tournaments in his four years at UC.  In addition to the team's success Daniel shine individually earning NAIA All-American Honorable Mention and Mid-South Conference First Team All-Conference honors for the 2011-2012 and 2010-2011 year.
 
Daniel averaged 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists for his career at UC and was a dominant presence for the Patriots during his final two years at Cumberlands. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists over his final 60 games with UC.
 
Daniel’s resides with his wife and fellow UC alum Amber and their three boys: Camdyn, Beckhym, and Crew.
 

Year	Record	MSC Record	NAIA Tournament Record
2024-25	24-9	10-2*	2-1
2023-24	28-5	10-2*	2-1
2022-23	17-12	11-11	-
2021-22	20-13	13-9	0-1
Overall:	89-39	44-24	4-3

  * Denotes Conference Regular Season Championship