Baseball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- wessinm@wfu.edu
Matt Wessinger was officially added to the Wake Forest baseball coaching staff on Aug. 25, 2022. Wessinger brings a wealth of experience as a coach and player, most recently serving as an assistant coach at Hofstra for the last five seasons. Wessinger will serve as the first base coach along with overseeing baserunning and defense.
During the historic 2023 season, Wake Forest set program records in regular season wins, ACC wins, ACC series wins, postseason wins and overall wins. The Deacs ended the season with a 54-12 record.
Under the direction of Wessinger the Demon Deacons posted a program high in fielding percentage (.979). The Deacs also found success on the base paths setting a new program high in runs scored (591).
The Demon Deacons went 22-7 in conference play during the 2023 season. Wake Forest became the first team to win all 10 ACC series games in a single season since North Carolina. This allowed the Deacs to take home the program’s first ACC regular season title since 1963.
Wake Forest hosted the 2023 Winston-Salem Regional in the program’s 15th tournament appearance and Wessinger’s second appearance in the postseason. The Demon Deacons started off hot going 3-0 in the regional. Along with that the Deacs also posted their first 50-win season in program history. The no. 1 seeded Demon Deacons would go on to sweep Alabama in their super regional. Wake Forest went to Omaha for the third time in program history and the first time in Wessinger’s career. The Deacs made their first appearance in Omaha since they won the national title in 1955.
Wessinger was instrumental in Hofstra’s magical 2022 season as the Pride earned the program’s first ever berth in the NCAA Baseball Tournament, compiling 30 wins and winning the team’s first ever Colonial Athletic Association Championship.
Hofstra finished the 2022 campaign third in the CAA in batting average while finishing in the top half of the league in hits, doubles, triples and fielding percentage.
Overall, Wessinger has seen seven student-athletes drafted or signed during his time at Hofstra.
Wessinger was a three-year letterwinner and two-time captain at St. John’s from 2009-12 and put together one of the best careers in Red Storm program history. St. John’s made three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2010-12, highlighted by a Super Regional appearance in 2012, and won two Big East Championships (2010 and 2012).
Wessinger, who was a Third Team All-America as a senior, holds several St. John’s records as he is the all-time leader in games played (229), at bats (874), and hits (278). He also ranks second in runs scored (194), third in RBIs (173), third in doubles (60) and second in total bases (406),
He was an All-Big East Second Team selection as a senior as well as a three-time All-East Region pick. He also earned All-Big East Tournament accolades in 2012.
Following Wessinger’s illustrious collegiate career, he played five seasons in the professional ranks. After being selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 37th round (1,116th overall) in 2011, Wessinger was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round the following year.
The Liverpool, N.Y. native hit the diamond in 63 games with the Grand Junction Rockies during his rookie season, batting .274 with four home runs, eight doubles, three triples and 27 RBIs.
After splitting time between Class A and Class A-Advanced in 2013, Wessinger was promoted to the Asheville Tourists before playing for the Modesto Nuts for the entire 2014 season.
Wessinger had a brief stint in 2015 with the New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League before spending a majority of his 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Bridgeport Bluefish and the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League.
Wessinger graduated from St. John’s in 2013 with a degree in sports management.
