Following a successful three-year run at Clarendon Junior College, Matt Vanderburg has been tabbed as the man to direct the resurgence of the West Texas A&M baseball program as on May 9 he was introduced as just the fourth head coach of the Diamond Buffs since 1994.

"Matt Vanderburg has the energy, drive and plan to rejuvenate West Texas A&M Baseball," said WTAMU Director of Athletics Michael McBroom. "He has performed at every level - as a student-athlete, an assistant coach and as head coach. He is a proven winner and an excellent recruiter. He is a team player and will fit in well with our outstanding coaching staff."

Vanderburg is finishing up his third season as the head baseball coach at nearby Clarendon Junior College which will be making a trip to the NJCAA playoffs this week. He joined the program during the summer of 2003 as the program's recruiting coordinator and hitting coach. During the 2005 campaign, Vanderburg was an instrumental part of the record season for the bulldogs. With a 43-13 record and a first ever national ranking, the Bulldogs were put on the map. That same season Vanderburg's hitters led the country in batting average (.374 team average). In his second season as the assistant he helped guide them to another 30 win season and a third straight regional tournament appearance.

Taking the reins of the program for the 2006 season, Vanderburg guided the Bulldogs to a 22-30 record, but began laying the grounds for winning seasons in each of the next two years. During the `06 campaign, the Bulldogs finished third nationally with a .376 team batting average and then followed that up with a .361 average in 2007, finishing 10th nationally. This season, the Bulldogs are again a force to be reckoned with in NJCAA Region V, finishing with 35+ wins for the second straight season.

"I'm extremely excited about this opportunity," Vanderburg said. "I believe there are a lot of great things happening here at West Texas. I can't wait to be apart of it and get out on the road and start recruiting."

He began his coaching career working for his former high school coach Shannon Enfield. He was the head coach of the Norman Majors American Legion team, a premier summer league team located in Oklahoma.

Vanderburg is a graduate of Norman North High School and during his prep playing career he set numerous hitting records, some of which still stand today. He helped pave the way for a very successful program that stands today. Out of high school he signed a scholarship to play baseball under Coach Joe Phillips at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. During his collegiate career at Northwestern he was a four-time All-Conference performer and helped to bring Northwestern to the national spotlight. While at NWOSU, the Rangers climbed as high as seventh in the national polls in addition to setting a new school record for wins in a season with 49.

A native of Norman, Okla., Vanderburg holds his Bachelors of Science in health and physical education from NWOSU and a Masters degree in health and physical education from Emporia State.