Student-Athlete Biography
Matthew Pollock was elevated to associate head coach of the Pepperdine men’s volleyball team in May 2024. The former Waves’ standout just completed his fifth season as an assistant coach with Pepperdine in 2024.
“Matt is beyond deserving of this title as he has tremendously represented the Pepperdine men’s volleyball program,” said Head Coach Jonathan Winder at the time of his promotion. “He is incredibly loyal, passionate and cares deeply about each student-athlete. He brings an energy and joy into the office and onto the court every day. His high level of execution and creativity in teaching has led our student-athletes to maximize their potential. Matt is the common denominator to the men’s volleyball program’s success over the past several seasons, and I am excited to see that continue into seasons to come.”
The team posted a 17-11 overall record last season with a fifth-place finish in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2024. He was recently selected to serve as an assistant coach for USA Volleyball’s 2024 U21 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, which will compete in Nogales, Mexico from June 9-17 and train in Colorado Springs, Colo. from June 1-8.
“I am grateful for Jonathan, and to David [Hunt] who initially gave me the chance to begin my coaching career,” said Pollock. “Pepperdine has been an incredible place to learn and grow as a coach. Being here, I get to work alongside the best players and coaches in the country every single day. I'm proud to continue to represent my alma mater and make an impact on the lives of young people.”
With Pollock on the sidelines since the 2020 season, the Waves advanced to the NCAA Championships twice, while finishing with #5 national rankings in both the 2021 and 2022 campaigns. Pepperdine has amassed 73 wins and a .603 winning percentage during his tenure. Ten players have earned AVCA All-American status with four second team nods, including MPSF Player of the Year Jaylen Jasper in 2023. An additional 14 Waves have garnered All-MPSF acclaim, including three with first team nods.
Pollock played for the Waves between 2009-12 and was a starter at middle blocker his final two seasons. He earned All-MPSF honorable mention status after his senior season. He played in 71 matches and 242 sets over his four years, averaging 1.89 kills and 1.05 blocks with a .435 hitting percentage. He hit .443 as a senior and .423 as a junior, which rank fourth and ninth, respectively, on Pepperdine’s single-season records list.
After graduating from Pepperdine in 2012 with a degree in organizational communication, Pollock played professionally in Finland, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy and Germany. He won the Italian Cup with Roma Scarabeo in 2017-18.
His experience with USA Volleyball began while he was a student-athlete at Pepperdine, and he played with the U.S. National Team as recently as 2018 with trips to Argentina and Mexico, the latter for the Pan American Cup.
Pollock, a native of Orland Park, Illinois, was an all-state player at Sandburg High School.
