OSU Profile

Monte Mathis is in his second season as an assistant coach on the Ohio State staff. He served on an interim basis during the 2001-02 season and was hired full-time in August of 2002.

Mathis spent four years with the University of Toledo men’s basketball program as an assistant coach before he accepted the Ohio State men’s basketball video coordinator position in August of 2000.

In addition to his on-the-court duties, Mathis will handle scouting of all opponents, assist with recruiting and act as the coordinator of the Jim O’Brien summer camps.

Prior to his tenure with the Rockets, Mathis, 35, returned to Toledo, his alma mater, after one season as an assistant at the University of South Alabama (1995-96) and a year as the graduate manager at McNeese State (1994-95). His background also includes experience at the high school level. He served as an assistant varsity coach at Woodward High School in Cincinnati from 1991-93.

Mathis was a two-year letterwinner (1988-89) in basketball and baseball at Toledo, earning a bachelor of arts degree in communications from UT in 1991.

A native of Cincinnati, Mathis graduated from Purcell Marian High in 1985 after serving as starting point guard and captain of the state champion basketball team his senior year. That summer he was the starting third baseman for the Cincinnati-Midland Redskins, helping lead the team to the Connie Mack World Series title.

Mathis enrolled at the University of Kansas in the fall of 1985 and was a reserve guard on a Jayhawk basketball team that reached the Final Four that season. He later transferred to Toledo.

Following his collegiate athletics career, Mathis played professional baseball for three seasons. He played for the Pulaski (Va.) Braves, a farm club of the Atlanta Braves, in 1990. He spent the next season with Sarasota (Fla.) of the Chicago White Sox organization. He also served as an infield instructor for the Utica (N.Y.) Blue Sox in 1992.

Born June 2, 1967, Mathis comes from a family with an extensive athletic background. His father, Mike, retired in 2001 after 26 years as an official in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Monte’s three brothers all played college football - Mick at Middle Tennessee State, Marty at Minnesota and Brian at Penn State.

Mike, his wife Sherrie and Marty operate a foster care and adoption agency in Cincinnati called “Mathis Care.”

Source: ohiostatebuckeyes,ocsn.com/sports