Matt Zieba begins his 10th year as an assistant coach with the UW-La Crosse baseball program in 2024-25. He coaches the outfielders and assists with hitters. He came to UWL after serving as head baseball coach for six seasons at Tomah (Wis.) High School, earning Mississippi Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2011. Zieba currently teaches middle school health in the Onalaska (Wis.) School District.
Zieba helped lead UWL to its seventh National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament appearance in school history, including second straight, in 2024. UWL was 36-16 in 2024, advancing to the NCAA Division III Super Regional. The Eagles captured the regional title with a pair of victories over Coe College (Iowa). The 36 victories are tied for second-most in single-season school history. UWL was second at the 2024 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Tournament.
The Eagles were 14th in the final D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Top-25 Poll.
UWL advanced to its third NCAA Division III Championship in 2023 after making back-to-back appearances in 2015 and 2016. The Eagles finished 36-13 in 2023, tying for the second-most wins in single-season school history. UWL captured the NCAA Division III Super Regional with a 16-10 victory over UW-Stevens Point. The Eagles advanced to the Super Regionals after winning the NCAA III Regional with a win over Bethel University (Minn.). UWL won the 2023 WIAC Tournament with a 3-0 record. The Eagles finished eighth in the final D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top-25 Poll.
UWL advanced to the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championship game in Zieba's first two years on staff, including in 2016 and 2017. The Eagles captured the 2016 NCAA III Regional title while advancing to the NCAA III Championships in Appleton, Wisconsin. UWL completed its 2016 season with a 39-10 overall and 18-2 record in the WIAC. The team captured the 2016 and 2017 WIAC Tournament Championship in earning an automatic bid to the national tournament.
The Eagles were fourth in the final 2016 ABCA/Collegiate Baseball and D3baseball.com Polls. UWL set single-season school records for wins (39), runs (452), hits (648), doubles (125), triples (25), RBI (396), batting average (.370) and slugging percentage (.527) in 2016.
UWL finished 31-19 overall in 2017, marking its fourth 30-win season in school history, including third straight. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA III Midwest Regional Championship game. UWL also played in the 2019 WIAC Tournament title game. UWL went 30-13 overall and 19-9 in the conference in 2021.
He earned his undergraduate degree from UWL in 2006 in health and physical education, and his master's degree from UWL in 2015 in school health education. A four-year letter winner for the Eagles, Zieba earned All-WIAC Honorable Mention accolades in 2004 and 2005 as an outfielder.
A career .328 hitter, Zieba is tied for 18th in career doubles (28) and ranks 21st in career hits (135) at UWL. His 62 hits in 2004 is tied for 14th in single-season school history while his 13 doubles in 2004 are tied for 18th.
Zieba and his wife, Amanda, live in Holmen with their two sons, Kameron and Riley.
