Matt Martin is in his third season as the Blue Dragon receivers’ coach.

Martin was promoted to Assistant Head Coach prior to the start of the 2023 season and will be co-special teams coordinator in 2024.

Over his first two seasons with the receivers, Martin has mentored seven all-Jayhawk Conference players and one NJCAA All-American while helping the Blue Dragon amass a 21-2 overall record with two KJCCC championships and two berths in the NJCAA national playoffs.

The Blue Dragons went 10-1 with a Jayhawk Conference title and a spot in the NJCAA national playoff semifinals in 2023. Zeriah Beason was named a first-team All-KJCCC performer with Oran Singleton and Tristan Smith named to the honorable mention list.

Martin’s first season with the Blue Dragons was spectacular as Hutchinson reeled off 11-straight wins to start the season, won a Jayhawk Conference championship and played in the NJCAA National Championship game. The 2022 Blue Dragons were 11-1.

Two-time first-team NJCAA All-American Malik Benson highlighted an impressive group of receivers under the guidance of Martin in 2022. Benson caught 60 passes for 978 yards and 10 touchdowns. Three different Blue Dragon receivers had 30 or more receptions in 2022.

Benson and Micah Woods were first-team All-Jayhawk Conference and Marcello Bussey was all-league honorable mention. All three players moved onto Division I programs, including Benson to Alabama.

The 2023 Blue Dragons went 10-1, won the KJCCC championship and advanced all the way to the NJCAA National Semifinals.

Prior to Hutchinson, Martin spent eight seasons at Southeast Missouri State University (2014-2021), serving during his tenure there as special teams coordinator, running backs coach, receivers coach and outside linebackers’ coach.

Martin produced numerous Ohio Valley Conference all-league players and FCS All-Americans in 2018, Martin was named the OVC Assistant Coach of the Year.

During his time at Southeast Missouri State, Martin mentored seven players who made their way to the NFL or other professional leagues – Kristian Wilkerson, Kendall Donnerson, Chad Meredith, Alex Knight, Tremane McCullough, Lennies McFerren and Will Young.

Prior to his time in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Martin worked for four seasons at his alma mater, Emporia State University. Martin was a graduate assistant with the Hornets in 2006 and 2007.

In 2013, Martin coached four All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association performers, including two former Blue Dragon players – wide receiver Ray Davis (first-team) and return specialist Deveon Dinwiddie (honorable mention).

Five players coached by Martin at Emporia State went to either of NFL or CFL – Davis, Austin Willis, Jeff Richards, Adam Schiltz and Shjuan Richardson.

Martin spent four years in the early part of his coaching career on the defensive side of the football. He worked two seasons at NCAA Division II University of Nebraska-Kearney as the Lopers’ outside linebackers’ coach.

Again, guiding numerous all-conference players at UNK, Martin was part of a Lopers’ team that won 11 games and qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

As a player (receiver and special teams), Martin was a four-year letter winner for the Hornets and a two-time captain for the 2002 Mineral Water Bowl and 2003 MIAA Championship teams. The Hornets had back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2002 and 2003.

In 2018, Martin was a speaker at the LSU Special Teams Clinic.

Martin graduated from Clay Center High School in 2001. He earned his bachelors and master’s degrees from Emporia State in 2006 and 2008.

Martin and his wife, Jenna, have one daughter, Quinn.