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ABERDEEN – South Dakota native Matt Wilber will become the 23rd head coach in Northern State University men's basketball history heading into the 2025-26 season.
Northern State Director of Athletics Nate Davis made the announcement on Thursday, tabbing Wilber to lead the pack as just the seventh head coach since the 1945-46 season and fifth in the NCAA Division II era.
An introductory press conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday in the Kessler’s Champions Club Room. The press conference, open to the public and all members of the media, will be streamed on the NSIC Network.
“Matt Wilber is a proven winner and leader of young people,” said Davis. “His enthusiasm and passion for Northern State and Wolves basketball stood out from the beginning and he has shown that same energy throughout the process.
"Matt is a relentless recruiter and has shown a tremendous ability to develop student-athletes, all while creating a dynamic team culture. I have no doubt that he will build a program with talented, high character young men that Wolves Country will be excited to watch and proud to call their team.”
Wilber joins the Wolves after spending the 2024 season as an assistant coach with the WNBA Phoenix Mercury, under the direction of head coach Nate Tibbetts. Prior to that, he spent 11 seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
He replaces Saul Phillips, who went 101-72 in seven seasons with the Wolves. At NSU, Phillips was twice named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year, won the NSIC Tournament in 2020 and 2021, reached the NCAA Division Two Tournament three times, their peak being the Central Region Final in 2021. The Wolves went 10-19 in 2023-24 before falling to 2-26 overall (1-21 in the NSIC) this past winter.
“I am humbled and honored to be chosen to be a part of the great tradition of Wolves basketball.," Wilber said. "This is an emotional full circle moment for me growing up a fan of Northern basketball, watching and cheering on the Wolves in Wachs Arena as a kid. I am excited to get to work right away and to begin to connect with the campus and Aberdeen communities and our fans and alumni.”
Wilber built Dakota Wesleyan into a perennial contender at the NAIA level, going 224-125 in his 11 seasons at the helm. DWU made six consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament from 2014 to 2020, including a NAIA National Runner-up finish in 2015 with a 32-5 record overall. He earned GPAC Coach of the Year, Rawlings NAIA National Coach of the Year and South Dakota Sports Writers Coach of the Year honors following that national championship game appearance. Wilber’s DWU squads tallied eight winning seasons and six with 20-plus wins.
Wilber produced 35 GPAC All-Conference honorees, 30 NAIA Scholar Athletes, 13 NAIA All-Americans, including six first team recipients, three GPAC Players of the Year, two GPAC Defensive Players of the Year, two GPAC Freshmen of the Year and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans®. In addition, his teams advanced to the sweet sixteen round in three seasons and earned the 2016 NAIA National Tournament Team Sportsmanship Award.
Wilber opened his collegiate coaching career with assistant stops at Augustana, Sioux Falls and South Dakota State. Following his playing career, Wilber was a student assistant for the Augustana Vikings under the direction of head coach Perry Ford. He then moved across town, serving as the head junior varsity coach and assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls for Shane Murphy. From 2004 to 2006, Wilber was on staff as a graduate assistant for Scott Nagy and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. He was on staff at SDSU for the NCAA Division I transition assisting in all areas of the program.
DENIS LATHER TRIBUTE COLUMN: Paying special tribute to former Watertown teacher and coach Denis Lather
From 2006 to 2013, Wilber owned and directed TIBBS Basketball alongside Tibbetts, building a year-round basketball development program. TIBBS worked with 800 to 1,000 participants annually, as Wilber grew the program from a residential home gym set-up to a basketball powerhouse in Southeast South Dakota and beyond.
Wilber earned his bachelor’s degree from Augustana College; a walk-on who earned both a scholarship and starting role, Wilber played for the Vikings from 1997 to 2002. He closed out his collegiate career in the top-10 all-time in 3-point field goals made and earned Academic All-Conference honorable mention accolades in 2001. In addition, Wilber was a four-year starter for the Augustana baseball team as a pitcher and utility player.
Wilber is married to Dakota Wesleyan head volleyball coach Lindsay Wilber. The pair have five children Benjamin, A.J., Nathan, Tyson, and Lizzie.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Northern State University announces new men's basketball coach
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Northern State Director of Athletics Nate Davis made the announcement on Thursday, tabbing Wilber to lead the pack as just the seventh head coach since the 1945-46 season and fifth in the NCAA Division II era.
An introductory press conference has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday in the Kessler’s Champions Club Room. The press conference, open to the public and all members of the media, will be streamed on the NSIC Network.
“Matt Wilber is a proven winner and leader of young people,” said Davis. “His enthusiasm and passion for Northern State and Wolves basketball stood out from the beginning and he has shown that same energy throughout the process.
"Matt is a relentless recruiter and has shown a tremendous ability to develop student-athletes, all while creating a dynamic team culture. I have no doubt that he will build a program with talented, high character young men that Wolves Country will be excited to watch and proud to call their team.”
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Wilber joins the Wolves after spending the 2024 season as an assistant coach with the WNBA Phoenix Mercury, under the direction of head coach Nate Tibbetts. Prior to that, he spent 11 seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell.
He replaces Saul Phillips, who went 101-72 in seven seasons with the Wolves. At NSU, Phillips was twice named Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year, won the NSIC Tournament in 2020 and 2021, reached the NCAA Division Two Tournament three times, their peak being the Central Region Final in 2021. The Wolves went 10-19 in 2023-24 before falling to 2-26 overall (1-21 in the NSIC) this past winter.
“I am humbled and honored to be chosen to be a part of the great tradition of Wolves basketball.," Wilber said. "This is an emotional full circle moment for me growing up a fan of Northern basketball, watching and cheering on the Wolves in Wachs Arena as a kid. I am excited to get to work right away and to begin to connect with the campus and Aberdeen communities and our fans and alumni.”
Wilber built Dakota Wesleyan into a perennial contender at the NAIA level, going 224-125 in his 11 seasons at the helm. DWU made six consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament from 2014 to 2020, including a NAIA National Runner-up finish in 2015 with a 32-5 record overall. He earned GPAC Coach of the Year, Rawlings NAIA National Coach of the Year and South Dakota Sports Writers Coach of the Year honors following that national championship game appearance. Wilber’s DWU squads tallied eight winning seasons and six with 20-plus wins.
Wilber produced 35 GPAC All-Conference honorees, 30 NAIA Scholar Athletes, 13 NAIA All-Americans, including six first team recipients, three GPAC Players of the Year, two GPAC Defensive Players of the Year, two GPAC Freshmen of the Year and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans®. In addition, his teams advanced to the sweet sixteen round in three seasons and earned the 2016 NAIA National Tournament Team Sportsmanship Award.
Wilber opened his collegiate coaching career with assistant stops at Augustana, Sioux Falls and South Dakota State. Following his playing career, Wilber was a student assistant for the Augustana Vikings under the direction of head coach Perry Ford. He then moved across town, serving as the head junior varsity coach and assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls for Shane Murphy. From 2004 to 2006, Wilber was on staff as a graduate assistant for Scott Nagy and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. He was on staff at SDSU for the NCAA Division I transition assisting in all areas of the program.
DENIS LATHER TRIBUTE COLUMN: Paying special tribute to former Watertown teacher and coach Denis Lather
From 2006 to 2013, Wilber owned and directed TIBBS Basketball alongside Tibbetts, building a year-round basketball development program. TIBBS worked with 800 to 1,000 participants annually, as Wilber grew the program from a residential home gym set-up to a basketball powerhouse in Southeast South Dakota and beyond.
Wilber earned his bachelor’s degree from Augustana College; a walk-on who earned both a scholarship and starting role, Wilber played for the Vikings from 1997 to 2002. He closed out his collegiate career in the top-10 all-time in 3-point field goals made and earned Academic All-Conference honorable mention accolades in 2001. In addition, Wilber was a four-year starter for the Augustana baseball team as a pitcher and utility player.
Wilber is married to Dakota Wesleyan head volleyball coach Lindsay Wilber. The pair have five children Benjamin, A.J., Nathan, Tyson, and Lizzie.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Northern State University announces new men's basketball coach
Continue reading...
