Matthew McGee joined The University of San Francisco track and field staff in July 2021, and oversees the program’s sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws and combined events. McGee is also an NCSA certified strength and conditioning specialist and guides strength training for the group.
During McGee’s first season on the hilltop, the group set three university records, with Gabriella Mace became the first USF women’s track and field athlete to qualify for the NCAA preliminary round in an event outside of the distance events.
Mace set the university 400 meters hurdles record while competing at the NCAA prelims with a performance of 58.41, which advanced her to the NCAA quarterfinals where she finished 20th. During the season she improved her university record by 3.5 seconds.
Prior to arriving, McGee served as an assistant coach at the University of Texas directing the vertical jumps and combined events.
During the COVID-shortened 2020 season, freshman Leo Neugebauer won the Big 12 indoor heptathlon title with a 5,848-point performance in his first collegiate heptathlon. His performance ranked 4th in the NCAA. Texas took three of the top six places in the heptathlon while also scoring in both the men’s and women’s high jump and pole vault events at the Big-12 championships.
In 2018-19, Ashtin Zamzow was the season’s dominant athlete in the heptathlon becoming the first Longhorn NCAA champion. She was undefeated during the season winning the Texas Relays, while also becoming the first Longhorn Big 12 champion in the event. In addition, she won the Big-12 open javelin title during the outdoor season with a performance beyond 53 meters. Indoor she claimed the Big-12 pentathlon title and finished third at the NCAA championships.
Zamzow set the school record with a 6,222-point tally, the eighth best heptathlon performance in NCAA history. She was named a semifinalist for The Bowerman, as well as the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year.
Prior to Texas, McGee spent three seasons at the University of Arizona, mentoring student-athletes who garnered nine All-America honors and five Pac-12 Conference titles.
Alyssa Thompson was named the 2018 Pac-12 Conference Women's Track & Field Scholar Athlete of the year. In two season she had three Pac-12 Championship top three finishes with two coming in the Heptathlon and one in the open long jump.
Lisanne Hagens claimed the 2017 Indoor MPSF title as well as consecutive Pac-12 outdoor titles in the high jump, 2016 and 2017. She earned first team All-America honors during the 2017 indoor season, and outdoor led a top 2 podium place sweep for the Wildcats at the Pac-12 championships, where she was joined by true freshman Karla Teran who placed second. Hagens and Teran both qualified for NCAA outdoor finals in 2017.
2017 Justice Summerset became the first Arizona true freshman high jumper to claim first team All-America honors at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships. He finished third outdoors and seventh indoors.
In McGee's first season at Arizona, Pau Tonnesen placed second at the 2016 NCAA indoor championships in the heptathlon with an Arizona record 6027 points. Tonnesen also won the MPSF open pole vault title with an 18-1.50 (5.53m) performance. During the outdoor season, Tonnesen earned his second consecutive Pac-12 decathlon title and finished fourth at NCAA outdoor championship. He was awarded Pac-12 Field Athlete of the Year honors for his accomplishments.
Summer 2016, McGee served as a member of the Spanish national team coaching staff at the Rio Olympic Games where Tonnesen finished 17th in first Olympic appearance.
Prior to joining Arizona's staff, McGee spent ten seasons at his alma mater, Washington State University.
McGee coached six of the top ten vaulters in the program's history. Kristine Felix become the first pole vault conference champion in winning the Pac-12 title during the 2013 season, while Tyson Byers finished third at the 2007 NCAA indoor Championships.
Five male high jumpers reached at least 7-00 (2.14m) and five female reached at least 5-10.75 (1.80m) during McGee's tenure. Trent Arrivey was a three time All-American, Pac-10 Conference and NCAA West Region champion, reaching a best of 7-4.25 (2.25m). Holly Parent became an All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier reaching a best of 6-0.75 (1.85m). Charlotte Muschamp captured the 2014 Pac-12 high jump title while also placing second in the triple jump.
Stephan Scott-Ellis, the grandson of USF Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Ellis, became a four-time All-American and four-time conference champion in the long and triple jumps during McGee’s time at Washington State.
Born in San Francisco, Calif., McGee attended College of Marin competing in the decathlon before transferring to Washington State University where he placed second in the javelin at the 2003 Pac-10 Championships. He graduated from WSU in 2003 with a degree in philosophy. He was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic team, was an Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar, and also earned a Pac-10 Post-Graduate Scholarship.
