Staff Directory
Matt Houk
- Title:
- Head Volleyball Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 612.269.6239
Matt Houk was named the 12th head coach in program history on Jan. 13, 2023 and enters his fourth season with the Bobcats. He has accumulated an overall record of 143-128 across nine seasons as a head coach. He is 46-43 at MSU, which includes a 27-21 mark in Big Sky Conference action.
The most recent Bobcat campaign produced an even 8-8 conference record in 2025. Combining seven returners and seven newcomers, Houk led MSU to a 13-15 record featuring the leadership of libero Lauren Lindseth who was named to the All-Big Sky Second Team. Academics continue to be a priority under Houk, with 12 Big Sky All-Academic honorees and three CSC Academic All-District selections.
Houk’s sophomore season produced a pair of Second-Team All-Big Sky honorees in Jordan Radick and Lauren Lindseth. MSU went 9-19 and 7-9 in league play as the season was highlighted by a sweep of its in-state rival Montana, which included a dominating 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 win over the Grizzlies in front of 3,567 fans in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
In 2023, Houk made his first season at Montana State a memorable one as he led the Bobcats to a 24-9 overall mark and a 12-4 Big Sky Conference ledger. Both marks are the best in Bobcat volleyball history. MSU finished second in the league standings, its highest showing ever.
The Bobcats entered the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed and dispatched Montana in straight sets for its second consecutive win over its rival. MSU downed Eastern Washington 3-1 in semifinal action to set up MSU’s first ever appearance in a Big Sky title match. The Bobcats came up short in their search for the program’s first ever conference championship, falling to Weber State in five sets.
With its successful 2023 resume’, Montana State played in its first national postseason tournament and advanced to the Fab Four of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with victories over Pacific, Sacramento State, and Wyoming. MSU lost to the eventual champion Wichita State in semifinal play, marking the first time a Bobcat volleyball team has extended their season through the second week of December.
On the court, Houk mentored senior Kira Thomsen and junior Jourdain Kamps to First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors. Thomsen, who also earned NIVC All-Tournament kudos, led the Big Sky in total kills, kills per set, points, points per set, service aces, and total attacks. Her 1,530 total attacks were the third highest at the NCAA Division I level, and her 550 total kills ranked sixth in the country as did her 626.5 points.
Houk’s inaugural team ranked among the top 25 in the nation in total attacks (4,613), team kills (1,685), team service aces (220), and team assists (1,546). Off the court, he saw ten Bobcats earn Big Sky Conference All-Academic mentions.
Prior to his move to Bozeman, Houk served nine seasons at the University of Minnesota where he most recently served four seasons as associate head coach. Houk began his stint with the Gophers in the spring of 2014 and played an integral role assisting former Minnesota head coach Hugh McCutcheon to three Final Fours, four Elite Eight’s and eight Sweet 16 appearances. During that span, the Gophers captured the 2015 and 2018 Big Ten titles. Houk was also instrumental in recruiting multiple top 10-ranked classes, including the No. 1 overall class in 2020.
With the Gophers, Houk oversaw the setters and defensive specialists. He worked primarily with Big Ten Setter of the Year and four-time All-American Samantha Seliger-Swenson for four seasons. On the defensive side, he was instrumental as the Gophers improved from 13.66 digs per set in 2014, to 15.50 per set in 2015. He coached two-time AVCA All-American libero CC McGraw, who finished her career third on the all-time Gophers dig chart with 1,924 saves. Houk also developed and mentored setter Melani Shaffmaster, who was named to the AVCA All-North Region, All-Big Ten First Team, and captured Big Ten Setter of the Week honors on two occasions.
Houk spent a successful six-year stint as head coach at the University of South Dakota. At USD, he saw the Coyotes elevate from NCAA Division II to Division I. During his tenure in Vermillion, Houk posted a 97-85 record and accumulated a .533 win percentage, which remains the second-best in program history.
In his final year at USD, Houk earned three selections on the 2013 All-Summit League volleyball team including Summit League Player of the Year, Kendall Kritenbrink, who was also named an AVCA All-America honorable mention. He also helped the Coyotes transition from the Great West Conference to the Summit League in 2011 and a sixth-place finish in the standings their inaugural year. Houk propelled the 2009 edition to a 23-4 mark in his first season with the Coyotes, which tied a school record for wins in a season.
Prior to his time at South Dakota, Houk was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay from 2004-06. During his three seasons with the Phoenix, five players were named to the All-Horizon League team and six student-athletes earned academic all-league honors. He began his Division I coaching career at Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2002-03 where the Panthers combined for a 45-19 record with a pair of 20-win seasons.
A native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, Houk graduated in 2002 from Milwaukee where he earned an English degree. A former athlete himself, Houk played Division I baseball for Milwaukee as a shortstop. With the Panthers, Houk held a career .342 batting average and was named to the program’s 20th anniversary team in 2011.
Houk’s wife Jen (MSU Associate Head Coach) was also a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers volleyball coaching staff. He has three children, Jaeden, Cole and Jorie.
The most recent Bobcat campaign produced an even 8-8 conference record in 2025. Combining seven returners and seven newcomers, Houk led MSU to a 13-15 record featuring the leadership of libero Lauren Lindseth who was named to the All-Big Sky Second Team. Academics continue to be a priority under Houk, with 12 Big Sky All-Academic honorees and three CSC Academic All-District selections.
Houk’s sophomore season produced a pair of Second-Team All-Big Sky honorees in Jordan Radick and Lauren Lindseth. MSU went 9-19 and 7-9 in league play as the season was highlighted by a sweep of its in-state rival Montana, which included a dominating 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 win over the Grizzlies in front of 3,567 fans in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
In 2023, Houk made his first season at Montana State a memorable one as he led the Bobcats to a 24-9 overall mark and a 12-4 Big Sky Conference ledger. Both marks are the best in Bobcat volleyball history. MSU finished second in the league standings, its highest showing ever.
The Bobcats entered the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed and dispatched Montana in straight sets for its second consecutive win over its rival. MSU downed Eastern Washington 3-1 in semifinal action to set up MSU’s first ever appearance in a Big Sky title match. The Bobcats came up short in their search for the program’s first ever conference championship, falling to Weber State in five sets.
With its successful 2023 resume’, Montana State played in its first national postseason tournament and advanced to the Fab Four of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship with victories over Pacific, Sacramento State, and Wyoming. MSU lost to the eventual champion Wichita State in semifinal play, marking the first time a Bobcat volleyball team has extended their season through the second week of December.
On the court, Houk mentored senior Kira Thomsen and junior Jourdain Kamps to First Team All-Big Sky Conference honors. Thomsen, who also earned NIVC All-Tournament kudos, led the Big Sky in total kills, kills per set, points, points per set, service aces, and total attacks. Her 1,530 total attacks were the third highest at the NCAA Division I level, and her 550 total kills ranked sixth in the country as did her 626.5 points.
Houk’s inaugural team ranked among the top 25 in the nation in total attacks (4,613), team kills (1,685), team service aces (220), and team assists (1,546). Off the court, he saw ten Bobcats earn Big Sky Conference All-Academic mentions.
Prior to his move to Bozeman, Houk served nine seasons at the University of Minnesota where he most recently served four seasons as associate head coach. Houk began his stint with the Gophers in the spring of 2014 and played an integral role assisting former Minnesota head coach Hugh McCutcheon to three Final Fours, four Elite Eight’s and eight Sweet 16 appearances. During that span, the Gophers captured the 2015 and 2018 Big Ten titles. Houk was also instrumental in recruiting multiple top 10-ranked classes, including the No. 1 overall class in 2020.
With the Gophers, Houk oversaw the setters and defensive specialists. He worked primarily with Big Ten Setter of the Year and four-time All-American Samantha Seliger-Swenson for four seasons. On the defensive side, he was instrumental as the Gophers improved from 13.66 digs per set in 2014, to 15.50 per set in 2015. He coached two-time AVCA All-American libero CC McGraw, who finished her career third on the all-time Gophers dig chart with 1,924 saves. Houk also developed and mentored setter Melani Shaffmaster, who was named to the AVCA All-North Region, All-Big Ten First Team, and captured Big Ten Setter of the Week honors on two occasions.
Houk spent a successful six-year stint as head coach at the University of South Dakota. At USD, he saw the Coyotes elevate from NCAA Division II to Division I. During his tenure in Vermillion, Houk posted a 97-85 record and accumulated a .533 win percentage, which remains the second-best in program history.
In his final year at USD, Houk earned three selections on the 2013 All-Summit League volleyball team including Summit League Player of the Year, Kendall Kritenbrink, who was also named an AVCA All-America honorable mention. He also helped the Coyotes transition from the Great West Conference to the Summit League in 2011 and a sixth-place finish in the standings their inaugural year. Houk propelled the 2009 edition to a 23-4 mark in his first season with the Coyotes, which tied a school record for wins in a season.
Prior to his time at South Dakota, Houk was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay from 2004-06. During his three seasons with the Phoenix, five players were named to the All-Horizon League team and six student-athletes earned academic all-league honors. He began his Division I coaching career at Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 2002-03 where the Panthers combined for a 45-19 record with a pair of 20-win seasons.
A native of Waukesha, Wisconsin, Houk graduated in 2002 from Milwaukee where he earned an English degree. A former athlete himself, Houk played Division I baseball for Milwaukee as a shortstop. With the Panthers, Houk held a career .342 batting average and was named to the program’s 20th anniversary team in 2011.
Houk’s wife Jen (MSU Associate Head Coach) was also a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers volleyball coaching staff. He has three children, Jaeden, Cole and Jorie.
| Year | School | Position | Record | Conference Finish/Postseason |
| 2025 | Montana State | Head Coach | 13-15 | 8-8 Big Sky/BSCT |
| 2024 | Montana State | Head Coach | 9-19 | 7-9 Big Sky/BSCT |
| 2023 | Montana State | Head Coach | 24-9 | 12-4 Big Sky/NIVC Fab Four |
| 2022 | Minnesota | Associate HC | 22-9 | 15-5 Big 10/NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2021 (F) | Minnesota | Associate HC | 23-9 | 15-2 Big 10/NCAA Elite Eight |
| 2021 (S) | Minnesota | Associate HC | 16-3 | 15-2 Big 10 |
| 2019 | Minnesota | Associate HC | 27-6 | 17-3 Big 10/NCAA Final Four |
| 2018 | Minnesota | Asst. Coach | 27-4 | 19-1 Big 10/NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2017 | Minnesota | Asst. Coach | 28-6 | 15-3 Big 10/NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2016 | Minnesota | Asst. Coach | 29-5 | 17-3 Big 10/NCAA Final Four |
| 2015 | Minnesota | Asst. Coach | 30-5 | 18-2 Big 10/NCAA Final Four |
| 2014 | Minnesota | Asst. Coach | 19-12 | 9-11 Big 10 |
| 2013 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 19-13 | 9-5 Summit League |
| 2012 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 19-13 | 8-8/Summit League |
| 2011 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 14-18 | 7-11 Great West |
| 2010 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 14-18 | 8-4 Great West |
| 2009 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 13-17 | 6-6 Great West |
| 2008 | South Dakota | Head Coach | 23-4 | Independent |
| 2006 | Green Bay | Asst. Coach | 15-15 | 8-6 Horizon League |
| 2005 | Green Bay | Asst. Coach | 15-15 | 6-8 Horizon League |
| 2004 | Green Bay | Asst. Coach | 10-19 | 6-8 Horizon League |
| 2003 | UW Milwaukee | Asst. Coach | 25-5 | 13-1 Horizon League |
| 2002 | UW Milwaukee | Asst. Coach | 20-14 | 11-3 Horizon League |
| 9 Years | HC Record | 143-128 |
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