The only out gay head coach in men’s college basketball is off to a scorching start
Matt Lynch has his USC-Salkehatchie men's basketball team off to a strong 12-1 start to the season, the best start of his career. The post The only out gay head coach in men’s college basketball is off to a scorching start appeared first on Outsports.
Mark
Matt Lynch has his men’s college basketball team off to the hottest start of his career.
“By far,” Lynch told Outsports on Monday.
Lynch, the only publicly out gay head coach of a men’s college basketball team in America, has led the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie men’s basketball team to an impressive 12-1 record so far this season.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Lynch said. “We’re playing really well. It’s a special group.”
Lynch said the players on the team have come together as a cohesive unit. Coming from various countries — at least Australia, Canada, Colombia, Italy and the United States — the team of individual players all trying to stand out to four-year college-team scouts are each sacrificing for the betterment of the team.
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“They’re just all so connected to each other,” Lynch said. “You can see the love they have for each other, the joy in the locker room, joy on road trips. There’s a lot of joy.
“All 14 are bought into playing this way and bought into the greater collective goal. If you have to sacrifice individual accolades to win as a team, you have to sacrifice individual accolades.
“I’m extremely lucky to be their coach.”
Earlier this year, Matt Lynch was named Coach of the Year for junior college in Region 10 for the 2024-25 season.
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He’d won a similar coach of the year the season before as well.
Lynch has been named to the Outsports Power 100 each of the last two years. As the only publicly out gay head coach in men’s college basketball, he holds a unique position in sports and in the community. His continued success has kept him in the conversation as a powerful force of influence for acceptance in men’s sports.
This year, Matt Lynch has been sharing more about his personal life, and most importantly his relationship with his boyfriend.
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Lynch said every game is a big game for his team. Yet he still pointed to two games on their schedule as particularly big.
Currently with an 11-game winning streak, they’re three away from breaking the team’s record of 13 straight wins. That game — if they can win their next two — would be at Caldwell Tech on January 7.
He also pointed to their two conference games against perennial conference contender Gaston as two other particularly big games.
For now, Lynch has his team focused on the next big game, their next game on December 17 against Middle Georgia Prep.
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The post The only out gay head coach in men’s college basketball is off to a scorching start appeared first on Outsports.
