Troy ranks among the top 10 winningest coaches by win percentage in NCAA Division III history, as well as ranking in the top 10 among active winningest coaches by win percentage at that level.
Elon Director of Athletics Jennifer Strawley has announced the hiring of Matt Troy as the next head volleyball coach. Troy, a national championship coach, comes to Elon after spending the last six years at the helm of the Johns Hopkins volleyball program, compiling a record of 151-17 during that span.
Troy led Johns Hopkins to the 2019 NCAA Division III National Championship and has advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals or further in each of the past three seasons, including a final four appearance in 2024. Ten of his 14 teams have advanced to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
“I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Matt, his wife Melissa, and their family to Elon,” Strawley said. “Matt brings an impressive record of competitive success to our volleyball program. Equally important, he is deeply committed to developing young women both on and off the court. His values perfectly align with Elon, and his competitive drive will undoubtedly continue to elevate our volleyball program and our entire athletics program.”
Over 14 seasons at the NCAA Division III level (excluding the 2020 COVID-19 season in which Johns Hopkins did not compete), Troy has built a career record of 357-96 (.788), which includes conference records of 118-15 (.887). From 2019-21, his teams at Johns Hopkins recorded a then-DIII record 66-match winning streak.
Troy ranks among the top 10 winningest coaches by win percentage in NCAA Division III history, as well as ranking in the top 10 among active winningest coaches by win percentage at that level.
“I am deeply honored and extremely grateful to be named the head women’s volleyball coach at Elon University,” Troy said. “I want to express my sincere appreciation to President Connie Ledoux Book, Director of Athletics Jenn Strawley and the search committee for their trust in me and for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I am both honored and humbled to be a part of Elon Volleyball. I’m incredibly excited about the future of the program and look forward to connecting with student-athletes, parents, alumni and supporters.”
The 2019 season was a historic one for Troy as Johns Hopkins went 35-0, becoming one of just three teams to ever cap an undefeated season with a national championship. The national title was the program’s first, doing so in nearly flawless fashion. The Jays dropped just one set throughout their run in the NCAA Tournament. In fact, that dropped set in the NCAA semifinals snapped a 40-set unbeaten streak.
That team featured two AVCA First Team All-Americans and Troy was named AVCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year, a first for Johns Hopkins.
Troy has compiled a record of 151-17 over the past six years (five competitive seasons) at Johns Hopkins, including a remarkable 49-1 record in conference play. The Jays just completed a 33-3 season that included a trip to the NCAA semifinals. His teams went 28-5 in 2023 and 24-8 in 2022.
Prior to his second coaching tenure at Johns Hopkins, Troy spent six years as the head coach at Mary Washington, recording a 133-58 record. His squads made three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including an appearance in the quarterfinals in 2016 after going 31-4. He had four 20-win seasons at Mary Washington before returning to Johns Hopkins in 2019.
Troy was named the head coach at Johns Hopkins in 2010 and stayed for three seasons, which included a 73-21 overall record. He built the program from 17 wins in year one to 25 and 29 wins over his final two seasons. In each of those last two years, Johns Hopkins advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
Troy’s first head coaching job came at Howard Community College in 2009. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Gettysburg College in 2008.
An alumnus of West Virginia University, Troy earned his bachelor’s degree in 2002 and his master’s degree in 2009. Troy and his wife, Melissa, have four daughters – Alexis, Kamryn, Emily and Brooke.