by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
One of Baker University’s best women’s soccer players is coming back. The assistant women’s coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College the past two years, Sara Matthews, is returning to Baker as the head women’s soccer coach.
In four seasons at Baker, Matthews was a three-time team captain, Heart of America all-conference and the 2007-2008 Baker Student Senate Female Athlete of the Year. After earning an MBA from Washburn University while serving as an assistant coach, she returned as assistant coach at Baker from 2010-2014.
“We’re very excited to have Sara back,” Nate Houser, Baker athletic director, said. “Her time as a student athlete as well as an assistant coach during our first journey to the national stage make her a perfect fit for the program. As a coach, she was with us for our first national semifinal appearance in 2010, our national quarterfinal appearance in 2011 and our final 16 appearance in 2013. She was also part of the team’s last conference championship and knows what it takes to win in the Heart of American Conference.”
“Returning to my alma mater is still a bit surreal, especially during the COVID-19 craziness and not being able to get on campus right away,” Matthews said. “However, this opportunity is so special to me having both played there and coached there. Many coaches don’t get this opportunity in their career so I feel so honored and thankful. The amount of support I’ve already received in a short amount of time has reminded me of Baker’s family atmosphere. I love my Baker roots and can’t wait to get going.”
“This is a perfect fit, I’m very happy for her,” said KCKCC coach Shawn Uhlenhake, whose Blue Devils had their first winning season (13-4), were nationally ranked and reached the Region VI championship game this past season. “Sara demonstrated many capabilities for us that will help make her a great head coach. She set the level high for the next assistant.”
“I absolutely loved my two years at KCKCC and am truly grateful to Shawn and KCKCC for every moment of growth and success we’ve been able to share,” Matthews said. “The girls, staff and coaches have made it an amazing experience. KCKCC and our Blue Devil soccer team will always hold a special place in my heart and I can’t wait to provide another option and connection to a four-year school for a number of girls.”
Matthews is Uhlenhake’s second assistant coach to leave for a head coaching position in his four years at KCKCC. Two years ago Katie Kelly left to take over the coaching reins at Avila University.
In addition to serving as an assistant coach at KCKCC, Baker and Washburn, Matthews was head coach at Avila for four years. She has also coached the KC Fusion Soccer Club team since 2013 and has had more than 75 percent of her players compete at the collegiate level. In 2017, she was named Kansas Youth Soccer Association Girls Competitive Coach of the Year after winning the Fall State President’s Cup and the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II President’s Cup.
The successor to Mark Sheldon, Matthews inherits a veteran Wildcat squad that returns three all-conference players from a team that finished 10-7-1 and defeated three teams that were ranked or received votes in the NAIA Coaches Top 25 poll.