BOZEMAN — Mateus Ceolin, a former University of Arizona assistant coach who played for Montana State from 2015-19, was named as the school’s men’s tennis head coach, MSU Director of Athletics Leon Costello announced Thursday.
Ceolin will succeed Rob Bareford, who and was hired by New Mexico in July after three seasons as the Bobcats’ head coach.
“I’m excited to bring Matty back to his alma mater,” Costello said. “It’s always special when a former student-athlete has risen through the ranks and is ready to lead the program they once played for. Since leaving MSU, Matty has gained valuable experience, and I’m excited about the future of MSU men’s tennis.”
After graduating from MSU with a degree in physical education with a coaching emphasis in 2019, Ceolin began his coaching career under then-Bobcat head coach Trey Morris in 2019-20.
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“Montana State being the place I played, my alma mater, I’ve always wanted to go back and coach and give back to the university and community, which have given me a lot,” Ceolin said. “The timing just worked out. Bozeman is a very special place, the whole community gets behind the university, and it was a great place to play tennis and go to school. Most of all, I want to give back to the community and school that gave me so much.”
In the fall of 2020, Ceolin became a graduate assistant coach at Cameron University, an NCAA Division II school located in Lawton, Oklahoma. He earned his master’s degree at Cameron and was nominated as ITA Assistant Coach of the Year for the South Central Region in 2021-22. The Aggies advanced to the Division II Elite Eight in 2020-21 and the Sweet 16 in 2021-22, earning ITA All-Academic team honors each season.
Ceolin joined the Arizona staff as a volunteer assistant coach in 2022-23 and became an assistant coach last year. UA’s 2023-24 season was one of the most successful in program history, as the Wildcats captured the program’s first Pac-12 Tournament championship after winning their third straight Pac-12 regular season crown.
Six players earned All-Pac 12 honors, including three first team selections. Arizona finished with a 26-4 dual record, topping 16 ranked opponents. During his season as a volunteer coach at Arizona, the team compiled a 14-0 home record and advanced to the Sweet 16 for only the second time.
“Both of those stops have been awesome,” Ceolin said of coaching at Cameron and Arizona. “I’ve been able to learn a lot of things, and I’m ready for the next challenge.”
In returning to Montana State, Ceolin becomes the first alum to lead the MSU men’s program since Dean Owen in 1999-2000, and before that Jerry Peach (1973-96). Ceolin and his wife Emily met as MSU students.
“I would like to thank Leon and Thijs (Goossens, MSU Deputy Athletics Director) for this incredible opportunity and trusting me to lead the men’s tennis program,” Ceolin said. “I am ready to get to work and take the program to new heights. There is a lot of potential in the men’s tennis program, and we will explore every bit of it.”
