EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville Vice President for Athletics Dr. Ziggy Siegfried has announced the hiring of Matt Logan as Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach for the Purple Aces.
 
"We are excited to welcome Matt and his family to the University of Evansville! Throughout the interview process Matt set himself apart with his commitment to an environment where our student-athletes will thrive in the classroom and in competition," Siegfried said. "Matt has a proven record of success that makes him an excellent fit with our track and field/cross country programs."
 
Logan makes the move to Evansville from Young Harris College in Georgia where he has been the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country since January of 2023. He oversaw the growth of the program from 11 student-athletes to 60 in just two recruiting cycles with limited scholarships. Under his watch, the program launched its indoor and outdoor track and field programs.
 
"I am deeply honored by the confidence Dr. Siegfried has placed in me to lead the track and field and cross country program at the University of Evansville. I want to thank Joel Zimba, Morgan McDowell, and the entire search committee. I like the direction the program is headed and feel blessed to be able to work alongside Associate Head Coach Dre Litsey," Logan exclaimed. "This is a bit of a homecoming for me and my family, returning to the Midwest. My priority will be establishing and developing relationships with the current student-athletes. I want to ensure they have a great student athlete experience and create a competitive environment that allows them to grow as students, athletes, and people. We are thrilled to be new members of the Evansville community and I cannot wait to get started."
 
His teams at Young Harris enjoyed a strong amount of success highlighted by the first regional ranking in program history as the men's cross country team took 7^th at the 2025 NCAA Southeast Region Championship. Young Harris earned its highest team finish in program history taking second place at the Conference Carolinas Championship in 2025.
 
On the individual side, Young Harris student-athletes won three Conference Carolinas Championships, 23 All-Conference honorees, and three conference Freshmen of the Month. In the classroom, his teams have excelled with multiple Scholar-Athlete and Elite 26 award winners.
 
"Matt distinguished himself throughout the search with his proven success, thoughtful leadership, and unwavering commitment to the student-athlete experience. He is a championship-caliber coach who values integrity, academics, and personal growth as highly as competitive success," UE Executive Deputy AD Joel Zimba stated. "We are excited to welcome him and his family to Evansville and are confident he is the right leader for our program's future."
 
Prior to joining the Mountain Lions, Logan was the Director of Track & Field and Cross Country at Averett University where he played a pivotal role in launching the indoor and outdoor track and field squads.  Logan was the institutional liaison for a $4.5 million track and field complex and had multiple student-athletes earn the first Old Dominion Athletic Conference Athlete of the Month honors in any sport at the institution.
 
Logan's first head coaching position came at Barton College where he was Head Cross Country Coach while assisting with the track program. Under his direction, school records were set in four events while Hailey Russell won the conference championship in the 1500m while placing second in the 800m.
 
He began his collegiate coaching career in 2021 at UNC Greensboro where he was Assistant Cross Country and Track & Field Coach. His squad achieved its highest regional ranking in 10 years while directing a pair of student-athletes to All-Southern Conference accolades. The men's team brought home top honors at the ECU Pirate Invite. Logan assisted in bringing the program its largest recruiting class. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in History & Theology from Olivet Nazarene University in 2014 before receiving his Masters in Theological Studies from Duke in 2016.
 
Logan and wife Annie have four children – Callum, Lakelan, Noah, and Maeve.
 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
 
"I am truly excited for both Coach Logan and the Evansville Athletics community!  I've had the privilege of working with Matt my first year at UNCG and can guarantee that he will not only challenge his teams towards competitive success but do so while positively impacting the lives of his student athletes." – Kaleigh Roach, Head Cross Country/Track Coach at UNC Greensboro
 
"The University of Evansville made an excellent choice in hiring Matt. He has consistently demonstrated that he is an outstanding leader and a remarkable developer of both student-athletes and teams. Matt understands that sustained success comes from developing people first, and his athletes consistently respond to his leadership with dedication and trust.  I have no doubt he will build a program that the university, alumni, and community will be proud of." - Adam Puett, Director of T/F & XC at UNC-Asheville
 
"This is a tremendous hire for Evansville Athletics. Coach Logan will not only have an immediate and positive impact on the cross country and track & field programs, but the local community and athletic department as a whole. His passion and commitment to the student-athletes and their success is second to none." - Aaron Bessey, Senior Associate AD for External Operations at Appalachian State