MATT GOLDSMITH
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Alma Mater: Amherst '08
Year of Service: Fourth
Education: Bachelor's Degree, Political Science; Master's Degree in Sports Management, University of Massachusetts, Isenburg School of Management
Hometown: Morristown, NJ
Matt Goldsmith led TCNJ to a 7-1 record in the 2021 season. The Lions advanced to the NJAC Semifinals by defeating Kean in the quarterfinals. That marked the fifth semifinal appearance in the six years that Goldsmith has been at the helm of the program. He coached Travis Jocelyn to D3hoops.com Third Team All-America honors. Jocelyn was also named NJAC Pony Wilson Player of the Year, which is the second season in a row TCNJ has earned that honor. Randall Walko took home that recognition after the 2019-20 season.
Goldsmith led the Lions to a remarkable 2019-20 campaign. TCNJ posted a record of 20-9 and captured its first New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship since the 1997-98 season. The Lions also made their first NCAA Tournament appearance since the '97-'98 season and defeated Marietta in the first round for the program's first tournament victory since 1988-89. The 20 wins marked the highest single-season total since '88-'89. Goldsmith coached Randall Walko to NABC First Team All-America honors.
Goldsmith arrived at The College of New Jersey in March of 2015, and he has compiled a record of 93-50 in his first six seasons. Goldsmith has led the Lions to the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs in each season. He has coached 13 All-New Jersey Athletic Conference performers with eight earning First-Team honors. Goldsmith earned NJAC John K. Adams Coach of the Year honors in 2017-18.
Goldsmith arrived from Amherst College, where he was an assistant coach for three seasons and a member of the Jeffs' national championship team in 2007. Goldsmith returned to his home state of New Jersey, where he was a resident of Morristown and graduate of Delbarton High School. He is also the founder of GBA and is a camp clinician during the summer months.
Goldsmith enjoyed tremendous success with the Amherst program as an assistant coach and also during his playing career. In his first season on the coaching staff in 2012-13, Goldsmith helped guide Amherst to a 30-2 record and the second national title in program history. The following season, the Jeffs made their fifth appearance in the Final Four and boasted a season mark of 27-4.
In addition to his success with the Jeffs, Goldsmith spent time as a volunteer assistant coach for USA Basketball during the past two summers. In June 2013, he assisted the Men's 2013 FIBA World Champion USA Under-19 National Team. This past summer he helped with individual workouts during practice, while volunteering with the 2014 Men's National Team that captured the gold medal. During those coaching experiences, Goldsmith was able to glean valuable experience and wisdom from elite coaching minds such as Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Billy Donovan, Tom Thibodeau and Monty Williams.
A 6’ 6” forward with the Jeffs, Goldsmith continued his playing career after graduation. He played professionally in Germany for TV Werne 03 during the 2008-09 season, before returning to his native New Jersey to serve as an assistant to alumni & development at the Delbarton School. A political science major, he also served as assistant men's varsity basketball coach at Delbarton before returning to Amherst.
MATT KITTNER
Assistant Men's Basketball Coach
Year of Service: First
Alma Mater: Fairleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck '10
Hometown: Bogota, N.J.
On Nov. 18, 2020, TCNJ head men’s basketball coach Matt Goldsmith announced the hiring of Matt Kittner as assistant coach.
“I am equally as humbled as I am thrilled to be joining Coach Goldsmith’s staff and the TCNJ men’s basketball family,” Kittner said. “I am a New Jersey kid, so coming back to N.J. makes my heart full. I couldn’t ask for a better place to make that happen. TCNJ’s academic reputation coupled with the success and reputation of Coach Goldsmith and the basketball program make TCNJ an ideal location for me. I’m excited to join the family, embrace the TCNJ culture, and bring my own energy and passion to the Lions!”
Kittner joins the Lions after serving Penn State Abington the last three years as an assistant coach. During his time there, he was the lead recruiting coordinator for all out of state prospective student-athletes. Kittner helped the Nittany Lions to their first home conference tournament game and win in program history in 2018-19.
Penn State Abington tied the program record for most overall wins that season, and continued the success in 2019-20. The program achieved its third consecutive double-digit win season which was also a first in program history.
“We are thrilled to add Coach Kittner to our staff,” said Goldsmith. “He is a hard-working ‘Jersey’ guy who will fit right in with our team culture and values. His demonstrated history of hard work and successful recruiting strategies was exactly what we were looking for in a successful hire. I think he will be a great addition to the team, athletic department, and campus community as a whole.”
Before joining Penn State Abington, Kittner was the associate varsity basketball head coach at Bogota High School in Bogota, N.J. from November 2009-June 2017. Kittner graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University-Teaneck with a bachelor of arts in political science in May 2010.
