Matt Swope has been synonymous with University of Maryland baseball for years, and now he plans to continue to elevate the Terps on a variety of fronts as the head coach.
After former coach Rob Vaughn left the program to take the same position at Alabama, hiring Swope seemed like a no-brainer. Swope, who played at Maryland from 1999-2002, first joined the coaching staff 11 years ago as the team’s director of operations. The hitting guru then rose through the ranks, becoming an assistant coach and associate head coach before being hired as the program’s new head coach in June 2023.
Now, Swope is preparing for the start of his head coaching tenure with a series at Georgia Southern from Feb. 16-18.
“The first time I write my first lineup or maybe my first home plate meeting with the umpires, maybe some things like that that’ll in the moment be a little bit surreal and different,” Swope said on Glenn Clark Radio on Feb. 13. “But for the most part, I tell people it feels the same which is I think a good thing just because we’re just looking for that sustainable success and kind of continue the culture and the good vibes about Maryland baseball.”
While Swope’s preparedness may not be something Terps fans have to worry about, the team will still have to cope with the losses of key players from last season such as infielders Matt Shaw and Nick Lorusso and catcher Luke Shliger, three of the seven players drafted out of Maryland last summer. It marked the biggest draft class the university has seen since 2015.
However, Swope believes that his team can overcome those key losses.
“I think you’re trying to build a standard of excellence, which is when you expect to win every game and nobody’s going to feel bad for you that you had seven players drafted. Opponents aren’t going to take it easy on you,” Swope said. “… Regardless of the turnover, I think good programs that have had sustainable success have been able to weather that and forge on. That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
While one of the questions about the Terps heading into the season revolves around the team’s depth on the mound, Swope has a lot of faith in his staff.
Swope said fifth-year right-hander Kenny Lippman (4.40 ERA in 2023) might be the Friday starter after leading the team in appearances a year ago. Swope believes he will use a combination of right-handers Logan Koester, a key starter for George Washington University last year, and Meade Johnson, who won the NJCAA Division II World Series with Heartland Community College last year, to complete the weekend rotation.
As for Maryland’s lineup, Swope expects to see productive veterans like Kevin Keister, Eddie Hacopian and Elijah Lambros take on leadership roles. Transfers like Sam Hojnar (Iowa) and Alex Calarco (Northwestern) and freshmen like Chris Hacopian, Brayden Martin and Jordan Crossland have a chance to impact the lineup as well.
“We have some talent,” Swope said. “We have some guys back, we added some guys in the portal, and then we have an influx of young talent. … We just kind of see how they take shape.”
While Swope is optimistic about this season, he also sees his rise to head coach as an opportunity to expand Maryland’s brand beyond campus. A Maryland native, Swope has a deep love for his home area and wants to do more to connect his team with the community.
“I think one of my personal dreams is always to try to get a new stadium built. I think a lot of my legacy will probably be built upon that and how I can help with that and do that. I think we’re one facility away like that from really being a destination on the entire East Coast,” Swope said. “… Things are moving forward, but I will put a lot of time and effort into trying to make that a reality in the time that I’m here, for sure.”
Another one of Swope’s goals is to play a game at Camden Yards, but at the heart of all of Swope’s dreams is to grow baseball in the area.
“I would love to play Camden Yards. The Orioles are my favorite team. It’s shaped my childhood. So having these schools and having these connections I think is only good for the community,” Swope said. “The more that we can partner with the Orioles or the Nats or whoever else, I just think it’s good for the [everyone]. It’s good for us. It’s good for them. … I think we can continue that kind of partner and move that forward.”
For more from Swope, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Chris Lyons/Maryland Athletics