Head coach Matt Holtz is in his sixth season with the University of Detroit Mercy. As the only head coach in program history, he has quickly put the Titans on the right path to success at the Division I level, cumulating with Detroit’s first-ever MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2013.
Using his coaching ties in the state as well as dipping into the Canadian talent pool and recruiting Long Island, NY., Holtz has taken the Titans from 0-11 in the team’s inaugural season in 2009 to a MAAC Championship title game in 2011 – just UDM’s third season – and then a conference title and NCAA bid this past season.
The 2013 season saw the Titans completely turn around their season to finish 5-10 after dealing with key injuries and playing with one of the youngest rosters in Division I. The Titans came into the final game of the regular season needing a win and on Senior Day, Detroit did just that by beating Canisius and advancing to the MAAC Championship as the fourth seed.
It didn’t end there as UDM ousted top-seeded Marist in the Semifinals, 7-6, and then had a come-from-behind 11-10 victory in overtime in the MAAC title game defeating Siena in a contest that it trailed 9-4 in the third period. From there, Detroit earned the MAAC’ s automatic bid to the big dance and nearly made history leading No. 2 Notre Dame 5-1 at the half before a fourth-quarter rally by the Fighting Irish saw the red, white and blue fall 9-7.
The two-goal outcome was the best a team from the MAAC has ever come in the NCAA Tournament. The nine goals allowed was the least ever allowed by a MAAC team, while the seven goals was tied for the most by a MAAC squad in the postseason.
Academically, Detroit once again led the conference with 18 student-athletes earning All-Academic Team recognition as well as 34 players landing a spot on the Detroit Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. The squad also posted a GPA above 3.10 for the year.
There were more conference accolades in 2013 as senior Jordan Houtby was named the Co-MAAC LSM of the Year, the third-straight year he has taken home that honor as he finished his career with 158 career caused turnovers, the most in NCAA history since it started keeping track of caused TO’s in 2010. Even as impressive was senior Jamie Hebden as he was honored by the MAAC for the third-straight year, this time as a First Team honoree, and he finished his career second in NCAA history with 123 caused turnovers.
Along with Houtby and Hebden, senior A.J. Levell, junior Alex Maini (attack) and sophomore Mike Birney (midfield)were tabbed Second Team at their respective positions and freshmen Paul Bitetti (defense), Andy Hebden (midfield), Damien Hicks (midfield/FO) and Nick Melucci (attack) were named to the All-Rookie Team. For their performances in the MAAC Championship, Houtby, Hebden, Levell and Birney were named All-Tournament with Birney being selected the Most Outstanding Player with eight goals on the weekend, including five in the championship game and a pair of game winners.
Detroit was also tied for second in the nation in caused turnovers (10.0), the fourth-straight year it has been in the top three in the country. UDM was also 14th in man-down defense Man-Down Defense (.708), 22nd in ground balls per game (31.4) and 25th in scoring defense (9.93). In Hebden (2nd, 2.53) and Houtby (6th, 2.33), UDM once again had a pair of players in the top 10 in caused turnovers.
In 2012, the Titans tied their program record with six victories and earned the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Championship. UDM finished first in the nation in caused turnovers with 10.47 per game after leading that stat with 11.63 per game in 2011 and placing third in the country in 2010. The Titans were also in the top 10 in saves per game (11.73), 12th in ground balls (32.27) and 13th in man-down defense (.738).
Academically, Detroit's 15 selections to the MAAC All-Academic Team led the league, while sophomore Wes Steen's 3.93 GPA in mechanical engineering was the second highest GPA on the All-Academic Team. The Titans also had 31 student-athletes recognized on the UDM Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in 2012.
Houtby was selected the Long Stick Midfielder Of The Year for the second-straight season and sophomore Shayne Adams and Hebden earned Second Team All-MAAC honors.
The 2011 season brought some great moments that included the Titans first-ever postseason victory in the MAAC tournament semifinals and the Titans ending Siena’s 13-game home winning streak - a number that at the time was the second longest in the nation - as well as the Saints’ 20-game MAAC winning streak when the red, white and blue defeated them, 13-11. As a team, UDM also led the nation in caused turnovers at 11.63 per game.
Four Titans were named All-Conference (Adams, Houtby, Hebden, Levell) and Adams was tabbed the MAAC Rookie of the Year. In addition, 10 Titans earned their way on the Academic All-MAAC Team and the MAAC 2010-11 Honor Roll.
In 2010, in just his second year at the helm, he led the red, white and blue to its first three victories, an All-Conference selection and a defense that ranked in the top 10 in the nation in caused turnovers. Detroit finished the season at 3-12, 2-6 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, its first season as a member of the league.
The biggest win in his career came in March as the Titans beat Presbyterian,16-12, on Titan Field for the program’s first-ever victory. Just five days later, Detroit added their second win with an 11-8 triumph against VMI for their first MAAC tally.
Under his direction, UDM received its first conference honor as Joel Matthews was named to the All-MAAC second team after ending the year 14th in the nation with 2.47 goals and 36th totaling 3.2 points per game. Six Titans were also tabbed All-MAAC Academic and to the MAAC Academic Honor Roll.
As a team, the Titan defense finished third in the nation with 10.47 caused turnovers per game, trailing only Maryland (11.38) and Syracuse (10.67).
Holtz was hired in September of 2007 to transform an idea into a dream as he had to put together the only Division I program in the State of Michigan from scratch. No lacrosse team existed at UDM, not even a club squad, but Holtz took the challenge head on and quickly went on the recruiting trail and marketed the new Titan program. Even though Detroit was winless in its first campaign, the seeds were set for a quick growth in the sport and the Titans were invited to join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
Holtz came to Detroit from Michigan State, where he was the men’s lacrosse club head coach from 2005-07. Under his reign, the Spartans posted a 22-10 record and had their highest national ranking of 17th in 2006. In that same season, MSU was a Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association (CCLA) finalist and, in 2007, Holtz earned CCLA Coach of the Year honors. In his two seasons at MSU, Holtz coached five All-Americans, including three Academic All-Americans. He was also successful in raising extra money for the club team in two annual fundraising campaigns.
Prior to becoming the head coach of MSU’s club team, Holtz served as offensive coordinator from 1997-2005. In this role, Holtz designed and taught offensive strategies, as well as assisting in off-field management with travel arrangements, recruiting, scouting and budgeting.
While a student at State, Holtz played club lacrosse all four years and served as team captain his last two seasons. In addition, Holtz was a member of the Motor City Lacrosse Club from 1997-2000. Holtz is also a local product as he graduated from Detroit Catholic Central in 1992.
Holtz graduated from MSU in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering. He and his wife, Dr. Bree Holtz, currently reside in Royal Oak with their newborn daughter Pippa.
