Matt Wallerstedt joins the Blue Dragon Football Program in 2024 as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Wallerstedt comes to Hutchinson with more than 35 years of college coaching experience.

Before coming to Hutchinson, Wallerstedt spent six seasons with at the University of Texas-El Paso. He took over as defensive line coach for the 2019 season after serving as the defensive quality control coach in 2018 and in 2021, he also served as the Miners’ associate head coach.

While at UTEP, Wallerstedt’s defensive lines continually produced the top units in Conference USA, including several players who earned All-CUSA postseason honors.

In 2021, Wallerstedt mentored a defensive line that accounted for 17.0 of UTEP’s 25.0 sacks. Those efforts helped lead the Miners to the New Mexico Bowl, while finishing with their first winning overall record in seven seasons.

The line played a critical role in UTEP's 2020 defensive resurgence. The Miners ended the season with 47 tackles for losses and 13 sacks, exceeding their totals from the 2019 campaign, when they played five more games. UTEP rated 39th nationally in rushing defense, and 46th in total defense.

Previous to UTEP, Wallerstedt coached at Charlotte where he was the defensive coordinator from 20151-17.

Wallerstedt is a veteran coach with more than a quarter century of coaching experience and previously served as the defensive coordinator for Charlotte from 2015-17.

In his first season with the 49ers, which coincided with the 49ers' first year at the FBS level as a member of Conference USA, Wallerstedt oversaw a defense that ranked fourth in the league in pass defense and eighth in total defense. Charlotte was also sixth in opponents third-down conversions and fifth in red zone defense.

Wallerstedt spent two seasons as the defensive coordinator at Texas Tech (2013-14) under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. During the 2013 season, the Red Raiders went 8-5 overall, including a Holiday Bowl win versus No. 16 Arizona State. Texas Tech ranked third in the Big 12 in pass defense (217.1 yards per game).

Prior to joining Texas Tech, he spent one year as linebackers coach at Texas A&M. Wallerstedt helped the Aggies to an 11-2 record and a victory over Oklahoma in the AT&T Cotton Bowl.

Wallerstedt was at Air Force for four seasons (2008-11). He was promoted to defensive coordinator and associate head coach (2010-11). In 2009, Wallerstedt served as the co-defensive coordinator and assistant head coach for the Falcons. Wallerstedt also coached the inside linebackers in each season at Air Force. Wallerstedt helped direct the Falcons to four bowl games - Military Bowl (2011), Independence Bowl (2010) and Armed Forces Bowl (2008 & 2009).

Prior to joining Air Force, he spent two seasons at his alma mater, Kansas State, as the linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator. In 2006, K-State produced its first winning season since 2003. The Wildcats went to the Texas Bowl that season.

He also had a two-year stint at Akron as the associate head coach, special teams coordinator and linebackers coach. Wallerstedt helped lead the Zips to their only conference championship in 2005. Akron claimed the MAC East Division title with a 31-30 victory over Northern Illinois. The Zips went on to play in their first bowl, the Motor City Bowl.

In 2003, Wallerstedt was named the defensive coordinator at North Alabama. The Lions advanced to the national semifinals and finished 13-1 overall.

Wallerstedt spent six years at Wyoming (1997-2002), working with the defensive line and inside linebackers. He was promoted to Cowboys defensive coordinator from 2000-02. Wallerstedt coached with Dana Dimel for three seasons (1997-99). With Dimel, Wallerstedt helped generate one eight-win season (1998, 8-3) and two seven-win campaigns (1997 and 1999).

In 1996, he coached defensive backs at Emporia State. His full-time coaching start came at Fort Hays State, where he oversaw the defensive line for two years (1994-95).

He began his coaching career in 1988 as a student assistant at Kansas State and served two years as a graduate assistant at Arizona State.

Wallerstedt was a four-year letterman at Kansas State, leading the Wildcats in tackles as a junior and senior. The linebacker earned honorable mention All-America honors in 1987. During his senior season, Wallerstedt was co-MVP and the Wildcats' team captain.

Wallerstedt earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Kansas State in 1988, and a master’s degree in athletic administration from Fort Hays State in 1995.

Wallerstedt and his wife, Josie, have a son, Cal, who was a linebacker at UTEP during his father’s tenure.