Women’s Tennis Hires Kazuki Matsuno As New Assistant Coach
June 23, 2026 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State women's tennis head coach Chris Hooshyar announced Wednesday the hiring of Kazuki Matsuno as the newest assistant coach for his women's tennis program.
Matsuno comes to Starkville after spending the last two seasons as the assistant coach and director of recruiting for the men's team at Pepperdine University. Prior to his time on the west coast, Matsuno was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the men's program at his alma mater, Michigan State.
In two seasons at Pepperdine, Matsuno help guide the Wave to a 36-21 overall record and an 11-3 WCC record. They earned a berth in both NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the super regionals in 2026 after upsetting No. 7 LSU in Baton Rouge, 4-3. He also helped numerous players to 12 All-West Coast Conference honors in singles and five in doubles.
At Michigan State, Matsuno served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2023-25 as the Spartans made their meteoric rise among the nation's best teams. Throughout his coaching tenure, Matsuno was instrumental in helping MSU achieve unprecedented team and individual success on the national level.
In the 2023-24 season, Matsuno helped coach Max Sheldon and Ozan Baris to a 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall National Championship doubles title, which was the first national title in MSU men's tennis history. Then in the spring, Matsuno helped the Spartans get off to a 12-0 start — the program's best start in 64 years — eventually leading to the team's all-time best ranking of #15 in the ITA polls. All told, Michigan State won a program-best 23 wins, was ranked in every top-25 ITA poll and saw Ozan Baris make a run to the NCAA singles semifinals in May.
With Matsuno serving as the Spartans' recruiting coordinator, the Spartans had back-to-back Big Ten Freshmen of the Year in 2023 and 2024 with Baris and Aristotelis Thanos. This past fall, Baris made history as the first Spartan to play in a NCAA singles final. Currently, four Michigan State singles players and four doubles teams are nationally ranked.
As a player, Matsuno was a four-year letter winner for the Spartans and was a three-time Big Ten All-Academic honoree and a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. He was ranked as high as #37 in the ITA rankings.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Matsuno earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Michigan State in 2023.
Quoting Head Coach Chris Hooshyar
"I'm so excited to welcome Kazuki and his wife Riley to Starkville. Their drive and commitment to serve is special and I can't wait to see their impact! Kazuki is one of the best young coaches in the country and I'm honored to be able to share the courts with him. Our players will thrive, as we keep on pushing to bring new heights to the program! Huge thank you to Zac and Maryann for supporting us in making this hire happen. Hail State!
Quoting Coach Matsuno
"I'm extremely excited to join this coaching staff with Chris and Noah. Before being incredible coaches, they are incredible people and care so deeply for the athletes. I'm excited to serve the team and the Starkville community alongside them. I have no doubt of the team reaching new heights and believe that we will do special things here. Hail State!"
For more information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
– HailState.com –
Matsuno comes to Starkville after spending the last two seasons as the assistant coach and director of recruiting for the men's team at Pepperdine University. Prior to his time on the west coast, Matsuno was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the men's program at his alma mater, Michigan State.
In two seasons at Pepperdine, Matsuno help guide the Wave to a 36-21 overall record and an 11-3 WCC record. They earned a berth in both NCAA Tournaments and advanced to the super regionals in 2026 after upsetting No. 7 LSU in Baton Rouge, 4-3. He also helped numerous players to 12 All-West Coast Conference honors in singles and five in doubles.
At Michigan State, Matsuno served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2023-25 as the Spartans made their meteoric rise among the nation's best teams. Throughout his coaching tenure, Matsuno was instrumental in helping MSU achieve unprecedented team and individual success on the national level.
In the 2023-24 season, Matsuno helped coach Max Sheldon and Ozan Baris to a 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Fall National Championship doubles title, which was the first national title in MSU men's tennis history. Then in the spring, Matsuno helped the Spartans get off to a 12-0 start — the program's best start in 64 years — eventually leading to the team's all-time best ranking of #15 in the ITA polls. All told, Michigan State won a program-best 23 wins, was ranked in every top-25 ITA poll and saw Ozan Baris make a run to the NCAA singles semifinals in May.
With Matsuno serving as the Spartans' recruiting coordinator, the Spartans had back-to-back Big Ten Freshmen of the Year in 2023 and 2024 with Baris and Aristotelis Thanos. This past fall, Baris made history as the first Spartan to play in a NCAA singles final. Currently, four Michigan State singles players and four doubles teams are nationally ranked.
As a player, Matsuno was a four-year letter winner for the Spartans and was a three-time Big Ten All-Academic honoree and a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner. He was ranked as high as #37 in the ITA rankings.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Matsuno earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Michigan State in 2023.
Quoting Head Coach Chris Hooshyar
"I'm so excited to welcome Kazuki and his wife Riley to Starkville. Their drive and commitment to serve is special and I can't wait to see their impact! Kazuki is one of the best young coaches in the country and I'm honored to be able to share the courts with him. Our players will thrive, as we keep on pushing to bring new heights to the program! Huge thank you to Zac and Maryann for supporting us in making this hire happen. Hail State!
Quoting Coach Matsuno
"I'm extremely excited to join this coaching staff with Chris and Noah. Before being incredible coaches, they are incredible people and care so deeply for the athletes. I'm excited to serve the team and the Starkville community alongside them. I have no doubt of the team reaching new heights and believe that we will do special things here. Hail State!"
For more information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
– HailState.com –
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