Matt Figger Named Head Coach At Austin Peay

April 6, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Matt Figger, who has served on Frank Martin’s staff at South Carolina as the associate head coach for the past four seasons, and as an assistant during the 2012-13 campaign, was named the head coach at Austin Peay on Thursday.

Figger played an important role in the Gamecocks’ Final Four run in 2016-17, a season that marked Carolina’s second straight with at least 25 wins, and also the second straight season with double-digit victories in SEC play. South Carolina’s 26 wins this season marked a school record, while the Gamecocks finished among the top 10 nationally in several statistical categories, including 3-point field goal defense (9th, 30.3%), turnover margin (6th, 4.1) and turnovers forced (5th, 17.1) to name a few.

During Figger’s time at Carolina, the Gamecocks had two All-SEC First Team honorees in Michael Carrera and Sindarius Thornwell, while Thornwell was named the 2017 SEC Player of the Year from the league’s coaches and earned All-Defensive Team accolades in 2016 and 2017, and Duane Notice earned the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2016. Figger also served as South Carolina’s recruiting coordinator during his time in Columbia.

Prior to his time at Carolina, Figger spent time as an assistant coach at Kansas State under Martin, and at South Alabama under former head coach John Pelphrey.