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Matt Lewis headshot

Matt Lewis

Matt Lewis joined Ron Rose's staff as an assistant coach in May 2026. He enters his first season at IWU in 2026-27. In addition to serving on the men's basketball staff, Lewis also assists with external events, golf outing management, special projects, and NIL.

Lewis comes to Illinois Wesleyan following an eight-year run as head coach at UW-Oshkosh, where he compiled a 141-62 record. Under Lewis’ direction, the Titans made four appearances in the NCAA Division III Championship tournament, won three WIAC regular-season titles, and captured two conference postseason championships.

In 2019, Lewis’ first season as head coach, he led the Titans to the NCAA Division III National Championship and was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III National Coach of the Year. In 2023, UW-Oshkosh advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight.

Lewis is also the fastest coach to reach 100 career wins in WIAC Division III history and holds an 11-3 record in the NCAA tournament.

As head coach, Lewis helped nine players achieve a total of 16 All-WIAC First Team honors. During Lewis’ eight-year tenure, five Titans garnered a total of 12 All-Region accolades and four players have received a total of 10 All-America honors. In 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023, a Titan was selected as the WIAC Player of the Year and a National Association of Basketball Coaches First Team All-American. In addition, Lewis was recognized as the WIAC Coach of the Year three times, and the NABC District Coach of the Year twice. 

From 2012-2018, Lewis served as an assistant coach and was part of a rebuild at UW-Oshkosh that resulted in three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a National Runner-up finish in 2018.

Prior to UW-Oshkosh, Lewis was the director of basketball operations at Tulane University from 2010-12, and assistant coach at Rhodes College in 2010.

Lewis, a forward on the Cornell College basketball team from 2005-10, was an Iowa Conference First Team selection in 2010. He received Cornell College's 2010 Sportsman of the Year award after averaging 13.5 points and 6.7 rebounds. In 2009, Lewis helped the Rams to a 21-7 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

A Southeastern High School (Augusta, Ill.) graduate, Lewis earned his bachelor's degree (2010) in economics and business from Cornell College and his master's (2013) in business administration from Bethel University (Tenn.).

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