FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Ignatius College Preparatory Names Matt Lopez '10 Head Coach of Wildcats Baseball
SAN FRANCISCO — St. Ignatius College Preparatory has named alumnus Matt Lopez '10 as the next head coach of the Wildcats baseball program. Lopez has served on the SI coaching staff since 2021 and will lead a staff that retains several key figures from the program's player-development infrastructure. The transition is designed to build on the success of recent seasons while continuing to evolve the program's approach to player development, preparation, and the overall student-athlete experience.
A San Francisco native, Lopez brings experience spanning Division I and international baseball, coaching, player development, and sport management.
A two-time All-WCAL selection at St. Ignatius (2009–10), Lopez continued his playing career at San Jose State University from 2011–14. In 2012, he led the Spartans in batting average, RBIs, runs, hits, and doubles, earning All-WAC honors, and he later earned All-Mountain West recognition in 2014.
Lopez continued his playing career internationally with the Baldham Boars in Germany from 2017–18, helping the club capture the Bayern League championship. As a player-coach in 2018, he was ranked No. 9 among coaches in Europe by the International Baseball Community. His coaching career has included stops with Top Tier Baseball (2019–21), St. Ignatius College Preparatory (2021–present), and Philippines Baseball (2021–present).
Since returning to SI, Lopez has worked extensively in player development while also helping strengthen the connection between the current program and its alumni. His experience working with players across youth, high school, collegiate, international, and national-team environments will help shape a program-wide development model for the Wildcats.
Lopez holds a Master of Science in Sport Management from the University of San Francisco.
Joe Jimenez '16 returns as a central piece of the Wildcats' coaching staff, overseeing player development across the program while running the varsity offense and working with the catchers.
Joe Jimenez Named Associate Head Coach
Jimenez's ties to SI predate his coaching career: as a student, he commuted nearly two hours round-trip, drawn by the school's combination of academics and athletics. He played two varsity seasons for the Wildcats before continuing at Chapman University, an NCAA Division III program, where he helped lead the Panthers to the 2019 national championship and ran a pitching staff that set a Division III strikeout record.
After college, Jimenez signed as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates before returning to SI as a coach in 2023. He has served as the Wildcats' hitting and catching coach while building a reputation as a private hitting instructor for players at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels, drawing students from as far as Santa Rosa, Livermore, and South San Jose. In 2026 alone, four of his players earned Player of the Year honors in their Bay Area leagues.
Matt Kauffman Remains As Pitching Coach
Matt Kauffman continues as the Wildcats' pitching coach, bringing extensive collegiate and professional playing experience to the SI staff. A San Francisco native, Kauffman pitched at San Jose State University after transferring from City College of San Francisco, helping the 2000 Spartans win the WAC Championship and reach the College World Series in Omaha. In 2001, he went 3–1 with a 2.93 ERA and a team-best four saves, holding opposing hitters to a .174 average.
The left-hander was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 13th round (400th overall) of the 2001 MLB Draft, beginning his professional career with the Great Falls Dodgers before pitching for the Dubois County Dragons of the Frontier League. Kauffman then moved into coaching, with stops at Washington High School and Branson before joining St. Ignatius in 2018 — the same year he helped coach the Wildcats to an NCS championship.
Building on the Foundation
The new staff will emphasize continuity while continuing to expand the Wildcats' development system. With Lopez, Jimenez, and Kauffman all having already played significant roles within the program, the transition gives SI an opportunity to maintain the core developmental structure built in recent seasons while creating a more connected pathway from the lower levels through varsity.
The goal is for every player to understand what's expected of him, where he currently stands in his development, and what he needs to do to keep progressing. That philosophy includes greater coordination between coaches, individualized player-development plans, continued investment in strength and skill development, and a focus on preparing Wildcats for opportunities beyond St. Ignatius.
At the center of the program will remain what has long defined SI athletics: academic excellence, competitive baseball, personal development, and representing St. Ignatius at the highest level, on and off the field.
