The Friends University Athletic Department hired Matt Cloud as the new baseball coach on Dec. 1. The spot was open after Coach Mark Carvalho was fired in early October.

While serving as the head baseball coach for the Iowa Wesleyan College Tigers, Cloud guided his team to a 26-26 record for the 2006 spring season — the third best tally of wins in the Tigers’ history. His team also qualified for the regional tournament, which the school had not accomplished since 1995. 

A second place finish in the Midwest Classic Conference with a record of 15-10 demonstrated Cloud’s ability to guide the Wesleyan team. The finish was a distinct improvement from the previous season in which the Tigers finished last in their conference. 

Cloud was also the former head coach at Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla., ending with a record of 110-63 over the course of three years from 2001-03.  The 46 wins in 2002 set a new record at Bacone College. In 2003, the team was 45-13.

Cloud has a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., and a master’s in college teaching. As a pitcher for Northeastern State, he received all-conference honors in 1998.

Cloud will now have to hire the incoming baseball staff for the Falcon 2007 spring season.

Friends’ sports information director Stacie Bell sees Cloud as a qualified candidate for the job.