Mike Matulia

Mike Matulia has been the Director of Athletics at Lake-Sumter Community College for the past 10 years.  Mr. Matulia was hired in 1997 to re-start the Athletic Program that was discontinued in 1988.

Mike Matulia is a graduate of The Citadel, where he played collegiate baseball during this for years, participating on two Southern Conference Championship teams.  He received his Master of Arts Degree from Georgia College in 1985, while he was the Head Baseball Coach and Instructor of Physical Education at Gordon College in Barnesville, Georgia.  Matulia remained at Gordon for 4 years and was appointed as the Athletic Director in August of 1987, before moving to Florida.   Matulia had stints at Edison Community College, as the Head Baseball Coach and Instructor of Physical Education (1988-1991) and at Miami Dade Community College where he was the Associate Head Baseball Coach and Associate Professor of Health and Wellness (1991- 1997).  While at Miami Dade, Matulia coached three major league baseball players:  Raul Ibanez, Jon Nunnally, and Bobby Estalella; and, numerous other players that played in the minor leagues.  Matulia was hired by former President, Robert Westrick in August of 1997 as the Director of Athletics.  He spent his first full year establishing the framework for the Athletic Program and preparing to initiate LSCC’s invitation in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and Florida Community College Activities Association (FCCAA).

In the fall of 1998, Lake-Sumter Community College began intercollegiate play and the plan for the development of several athletic facility renovations and construction projects.  Matulia was the Head Baseball Coach, as part of his Athletic Director duties and two other part-time coaches were hired to coach the women’s softball and volleyball teams.  The College received grants and state funding to begin renovation of the gymnasium, which included: new bleachers, scoreboards, retractable basketball goals, locker rooms, aerobics/dance studio and construct the Magnolia Room and kitchen.  With the assistance from, then State Representative Everett A. Kelly, the LSCC Convocation Center was completed and dedicated in 1999.  The Volleyball team played in their new Center that season, while construction of the Sports complex was being completed.  In the spring of 2000, the first phase of the LSCC Sports and Recreation Complex was completed.  This included the baseball and softball field, main resource building, scoreboards and fencing.  This project continued over the next year, to include tennis courts, racquetball courts, a ½ mile walking path, spectator seating and practice areas.  Today, the Sports and Recreation Complex is one of the best facilities for Junior/community Colleges and includes new fencing, a covered practice facility, and upgrades to the landscaping.  The Athletic Program also has three full-time coaches to coach the three sports teams and Matulia remains as the Director of Athletics.

Matulia has earned the respect and cooperation of the local communities, where he serves on the Lake County Children’s Services Council, as the Vice Chairman;, the North Lake County Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors; and, is a graduate of Leadership Lake County (2001).  Mr. Matulia has conducted numerous baseball camps in our area and has been a featured clinician and speaker at the Florida High School Coaches annual convention, the American Baseball Coaches Association national convention and the Florida Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.  He has also been a guest instructor at several College baseball camps throughout the country.  Mr. Matulia serves on several campus committees and has been an adjunct professor in the Sports and Fitness Program.

While Mr. Matulia is no longer coaching, his duties in fundraising and program development continue to challenge his time.  The annual Athletic Department Golf Classic raises over $20,000 a year and the Sports Leadership Program and Corporate Sponsorships assist in maintaining a high quality athletic program.  Matulia will continue his efforts to improve the athletic program and lead them into the future, with the help of the staff, administration, Board Trustees, and local community leaders.

Matulia resides in Eustis with his wife Betsy and their youngest son, Jake (9).  Mike and Betsy will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this June.  The Matulia’s have two other son’s; Matt, who is married and is in his third season in the Chicago Cubs Organization; and, John who is in his fourth season with the Tampa Bay Rays Organization.  Mr. Matulia will keep busy traveling with his wife and Jake, watching his other sons pursue their “Big League” dreams.