Matt Stewart was added to the Campbell softball coaching staff as an assistant coach in July 2018. Stewart will serve primarily as Campbell's hitting coach and will also coach outfielders. He comes to Buies Creek after a two-year stint at South Carolina as a volunteer assistant coach.
In Stewart's first season in 2019, the Camels combined to hit .286 with 409 hits including 75 doubles, 11 triples and four home runs. Campbell had 239 RBI along with holding a .437 slugging percentage and a .378 on base percentage. CU also led the Big South with 187 walks on the year. Six Camels garnered All-Big South honors at the end of the regular season. First team selections Bri Bryant led the team and ranked fifth in the conference hitting .370 with 68 hits while Kayla Fredendall ranked third overall in the league with 14 home runs.
In a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, the Camels hit .258 with 169 hits including 31 doubles, five triples and 19 home runs across 25 games.
Campbell improved its batting in virtually every category in 2021 en route to winning the Big South regular season and tournament titles. In the 45 game season the team ranked second in the Big South with a .275 batting average. Campbell connected on 296 hits, including a conference-best 62 doubles while its 18 triples ranked fifth nationally. The Camels also had 185 RBI and led the Big South with a .365 on base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage.
Destini England was named Big South Player of the Year after hitting a team-best .361 including tying for the most triples in the nation with nine. Bri Bryant joined England on the All-Big South First Team while Claudia Ware, Delaney McDilda and Kayla Fredendall earned second team honors.
"I'm very excited to have Matt join our staff," McDonald said. "He brings high levels of experience and knowledge from South Carolina. His energy and passion for the game will be a huge asset to our program. Matt's main responsibility will be to run our offense and I have no doubt he will do a great job."
Stewart helped guide the Gamecocks to a 49-17 record, a No. 9 NCAA National Seed and its first Super Regional appearance in 11 years. Under head coach Beverly Smith, he was part of a coaching staff that was named the 2018 Southeast Region Coaching Staff of the Year by the NFCA.
At South Carolina, Stewart helped coach a defense that posted a .984 fielding percentage in conference play to lead the SEC. He also assisted in developing USC hitters who posted a program record 66 home runs which was another SEC best.
A two-time graduate of the University of Florida, Stewart earned a bachelor's degree and master's degree from UF in sport management. He spent three seasons on the Florida softball staff serving as a manager for two NCAA Championship teams. In that role, he aided players and coaches in workouts and practices while also helping with scouting reports. He was promoted to graduate assistant for the 2016 season as his responsibilities expanded to formulating practice plans, creating scouting reports and co-coordinating the logistics of a 140-partcipant camp.
This will be the second time Stewart and McDonald have worked alongside each other with the first coming during their stints at Florida as McDonald was an assistant coach for the Gators for two seasons.
