University of Massachusets Athletics
Figger Named Top 100 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coach for Second Straight Year
October 19, 2026 | Men's Basketball
AMHERST, Mass. – UMass assistant men's basketball coach Matt Figger was named to the eighth annual top 100 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches by Silver Waves Media, as announced on Monday.
In his third season with the Minutemen, Figger has made a tremendous impact. He previously spent 10 seasons on head coach Frank Martin's staffs at Kansas State and South Carolina. Figger is a former Division I head coach at UT Rio Grande Valley (2021-24) and Austin Peay (2017-2021) He earned the 2017-18 OVC Coach of the Year honors after compiling a 76-51 (.598) record, including a 49-25 (.662) mark in OVC play with the Governors. Figger secured two consecutive 20-plus win seasons, recording double-digit conference wins in all four years at the helm in Clarksville, Tennessee.
At UMass last season, Figger helped lead the Minutemen to ACC wins over Boston College and Florida State, along with a win over Oregon State. Figger coached Leonardo Bettiol to All-MAC second team honors. Bettiol finished the season fourth in the conference in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game. Marcus Banks Jr. was also named third team All-MAC, breaking the program record for 3-pointers in a season (112) and in a game (10 vs. Central Michigan). In that Central Michigan game, freshman Danny Carbuccia also set the program record for assists in a game with 17. His 207 assists on the season were eighth in program history and was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. The most notable win of the season was in the MAC Tournament when Massachusetts defeated No. 20 and previously undefeated Miami (OH), gaining national spotlight. It was the program's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2013.
Engineering one of the NCAA's largest defensive turnarounds, Figger became the first coach in Austin Peay program history to earn double-digit conference wins in his first two seasons. Under Figger's leadership, multiple players received All-OVC honors including two-time OVC Player of the Year and he helped develop current NBA player Terry Taylor. Taylor recorded an NCAA-best 20 double-doubles in 2020-21 while also leading the NCAA in offensive rebounding at 5.15 per game.
Serving on staff under Martin at both South Carolina (2007-2012) and Kansas State (2012-2017), Figger helped Martin lead both programs to new heights. As associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, Figger helped Martin bring the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1973 and to the program's first-ever Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances
At Kansas State, Figger served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator as part of Martin's staff that secured at least 21 wins and finished fifth or better in the Big 12 all five seasons. A nationally recognized recruiter, Figger helped sign two McDonald's All-Americans at Kansas State, including 2008 National Freshman and Player of the Year Michael Beasley. During his time in Manhattan, Kansas Figger helped develop five All-Americans including Beasley and Jacob Pullen.
Prior to his time at Kansas State, Figger served a brief stint as the director of operations at Arkansas (April-June 2007), which followed five seasons as an assistant coach at South Alabama (2003-07).
Figger also spent 10 years as an assistant coach in the junior college ranks, including stints at Wabash Valley (1993-94), Vincennes (1994-99) and Odessa College (2000-02). His teams won 20 or more games eight times, captured six region and four district titles and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament four times.
In his third season with the Minutemen, Figger has made a tremendous impact. He previously spent 10 seasons on head coach Frank Martin's staffs at Kansas State and South Carolina. Figger is a former Division I head coach at UT Rio Grande Valley (2021-24) and Austin Peay (2017-2021) He earned the 2017-18 OVC Coach of the Year honors after compiling a 76-51 (.598) record, including a 49-25 (.662) mark in OVC play with the Governors. Figger secured two consecutive 20-plus win seasons, recording double-digit conference wins in all four years at the helm in Clarksville, Tennessee.
At UMass last season, Figger helped lead the Minutemen to ACC wins over Boston College and Florida State, along with a win over Oregon State. Figger coached Leonardo Bettiol to All-MAC second team honors. Bettiol finished the season fourth in the conference in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game. Marcus Banks Jr. was also named third team All-MAC, breaking the program record for 3-pointers in a season (112) and in a game (10 vs. Central Michigan). In that Central Michigan game, freshman Danny Carbuccia also set the program record for assists in a game with 17. His 207 assists on the season were eighth in program history and was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. The most notable win of the season was in the MAC Tournament when Massachusetts defeated No. 20 and previously undefeated Miami (OH), gaining national spotlight. It was the program's first win over a nationally-ranked opponent since 2013.
Engineering one of the NCAA's largest defensive turnarounds, Figger became the first coach in Austin Peay program history to earn double-digit conference wins in his first two seasons. Under Figger's leadership, multiple players received All-OVC honors including two-time OVC Player of the Year and he helped develop current NBA player Terry Taylor. Taylor recorded an NCAA-best 20 double-doubles in 2020-21 while also leading the NCAA in offensive rebounding at 5.15 per game.
Serving on staff under Martin at both South Carolina (2007-2012) and Kansas State (2012-2017), Figger helped Martin lead both programs to new heights. As associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, Figger helped Martin bring the Gamecocks to their first NCAA Tournament win since 1973 and to the program's first-ever Sweet 16, Elite Eight, and Final Four appearances
At Kansas State, Figger served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator as part of Martin's staff that secured at least 21 wins and finished fifth or better in the Big 12 all five seasons. A nationally recognized recruiter, Figger helped sign two McDonald's All-Americans at Kansas State, including 2008 National Freshman and Player of the Year Michael Beasley. During his time in Manhattan, Kansas Figger helped develop five All-Americans including Beasley and Jacob Pullen.
Prior to his time at Kansas State, Figger served a brief stint as the director of operations at Arkansas (April-June 2007), which followed five seasons as an assistant coach at South Alabama (2003-07).
Figger also spent 10 years as an assistant coach in the junior college ranks, including stints at Wabash Valley (1993-94), Vincennes (1994-99) and Odessa College (2000-02). His teams won 20 or more games eight times, captured six region and four district titles and advanced to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national tournament four times.
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