Mike Matson (Augsburg '07) enters his fifth season on the Augsburg football coaching staff in 2016.
One of the most unique football coaches in Minnesota, Matson is also a full-time minister, serving the congregation at
Bethany Lutheran Church in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis as pastor, while also working on Augsburg's Campus Ministry team as chaplain to student-athletes. He also serves in the Navy Reserves and is a chaplain for the Minneapolis Police Department.
In 2015,
Matson was profiled in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune for a unique program that he and local chef Judah Nataf founded at Bethany Lutheran. Called the "Soup for You Cafe," the program offers healthy food for people in the Seward neighborhood, just across Interstate 94 from the Augsburg campus.
Playing Experience/Achievements:
One of the top linebackers in school history, Matson finished his career with 355 tackles (146 solo), including 21.0 tackles for-loss, 7.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles and three blocked kicks. He reached the century mark in tackles in both his junior and senior seasons, leading the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in tackles each year.
Matson earned All-MIAC first-team honors in 2006 and second-team honors in 2005, also earning All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team honors his senior campaign. In 2006, he was named to the Preseason All-Division III first team by Lindy's National College Football Preview magazine, and earned D3Football.com All-West Region second-team honors, Football Gazette All-West Region second-team honors and Football Gazette All-America honorable-mention honors. In 2005, he earned D3Football.com All-America third-team and All-West Region second-team honors, while also being named to the Football Gazette All-West Region third team. He was named Augsburg Senior Athlete of the Year in 2007.
Matson earned his bachelor’s degree from Augsburg in 2007, and graduated in 2011 from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Ill. He received his ordination from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in September 2012, and serves as a pastor at
Bethany Lutheran Church in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Before being called to Bethany in 2014, he was an associate pastor at Richfield Evangelical Lutheran Church in south Minneapolis. He also serves in the Navy Reserves and is a chaplain for the Minneapolis Police Department.
Matson and his wife
Helen have four children.
