By Ron Smith
January 7, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Robert Ruiz, director of athletics for Westmont College, has named Lauren Matthias as head coach for Westmont Women's Soccer. Matthias, who has served on the coaching staff since 2017, becomes the program's 13th head coach.
 
"I am incredibly excited to announce Lauren Matthias as the next head coach of our storied women's soccer program," said Ruiz. "She has a compelling vision for the program and in her time on our campus, she has grown into a very respected leader both in our department and throughout the institution. She is adaptable, strategic and a skilled problem solver. I am confident that under her leadership our women's soccer program will continue to grow and thrive in the Division II landscape."
 
Matthias is a Westmont alumna who played for the Warriors from 2012-2015. In 2017 and 18, Matthias served as a part-time assistant coach. Since 2019, she has been the Warriors' full-time assistant coach.
 
"Westmont has been the dream for me and for my family since I started my coaching career," said Matthias. "I think the reason why it is the dream is because of the community that is cultivated within Westmont Athletics. We get to play a sport we love, we get to develop people, and we get to cultivate student-athletes.
 
"In four years we get to develop them as soccer players, but we also get to develop them as young women and get to do it in a place that genuinely values that and is true and on par to the mission of Westmont College."
 
Matthias replaces Jenny Jaggard who announced her departure from Westmont last month to assume head coaching duties and Northwest Nazarene (Idaho). Jaggard coached at Westmont for six seasons, posting a winning percentage of .704 (68-24-16).
 
"Credit to Jenny and the work she has done in the last six years to continue the success of Westmont Women's Soccer," offered Matthias. "It is not easy to continue the success of a historically rich program. I want to continue the tradition of winning and excellence and everything that Westmont Women's Soccer is known for. I also think that in Division II there is a whole new chapter to write – a whole new story.
 
"My goal is to continue the history of Westmont Women's Soccer. Having been a part of that as a player and then as a coach, I understand it very well. Now, I am ready to write the next page in the book. Where I see it going is a program that is thriving in NCAA Division II and becoming a highly regarded DII women's soccer program."
 
A four-year student-athlete at Westmont, Matthias was the starting goalkeeper during her junior and senior years. Her career goals-against average of 0.80 ranks fourth all time in the Warrior record book. Westmont Women's Soccer qualified for the NAIA National Championship in all four of the years she played, including reaching the championship game in 2013 under then head coach Kristi Kiely. That experience helps shape her desire for student-athlete development.
 
"We always say in our program that we want to leave student-athletes better than when we found them when they leave in four years," reflected Matthias. "That rings true, but specifically, we want to see them develop into strong leaders and confident young women who are prepared to lead in whatever they go on to do. We also want them to be able to cultivate community and be able to go off after college and create community for themselves. We want them to see the value of community.
 
"For me, in my time as a player and as a student at Westmont, community was talked about a lot. However, I didn't see the true value in community until I left and realized how special it was and that it does not exist everywhere. That showed me how important it is to try and build a community once you leave here.
 
"We want to see them leading, we want to see them confident, we want to see them building community and most importantly, we want to see them being faithful servants that are serving the Lord."
 
Already immersed in the Westmont community and culture, Matthias brings to this new responsibility an attitude of hopefulness and anticipation.
 
"The words that come to mind right now are humbled, grateful and expectant," noted Matthias. "I am expectant that the program will continue to grow, and am anticipating what the Lord is going to do with the program, in our players and in me. I am also grateful and humbled. I don't take it lightly. I have an extremely amazing opportunity in front of me and I am humbled and excited to get to work.
 
"I am so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness and his provision. It is all glory to God.
 
"I am also thankful to Robert Ruiz for seeing the vision I have and believing in me. Not just now in this moment, but over the last few years, I appreciate his mentorship and guidance. The same is true with Dave Odell. I am also grateful to President Beebe and the whole hiring committee.
 
"I could go on and on and list so many people within the athletic department that have poured into me and helped me to grow. In the last eight years, they have been such a huge piece of who I am professionally, but also who I am as a person and in my faith walk.
 
"I am grateful to Jenny for trusting me the last six years and giving me the opportunity to lead in ways that a lot of assistants don't get the chance to lead. She has let me have very hands-on experience in all the things that come with coaching at the collegiate level. She allowed me to take on as much as I wanted. I am extremely grateful for her mentorship and showing me how to do things the right way.
 
"I am also grateful to Dan Ribbens and, of course, my husband, Blake."
 
Matthias and her husband live in Santa Barbara with their sons Maverick (three) and Daxton (one and one-half).