University of Houston Athletics
Cheesebrough, Gardner Join Whitting’s Staff
6/18/2025 4:29:00 PM | Baseball
New assistants boast eight combined College World Series appearances
HOUSTON – Houston Baseball head coach Todd Whitting announced the addition of two new assistants coach Kyle Cheesebrough and Matt Gardner ahead of the 2026 season on Wednesday.
A member of the 2021 College World Series Champion coaching staff at Mississippi State and a four-time College World Series coach, Cheesebrough will assist with recruiting and run point of various operations within the program. Gardner, who will serve as the pitching coach for the Cougars, boasts four trips to Omaha with Texas Tech and eight NCAA appearances with the Red Raiders.
"I am excited for Coach Cheesebrough, Coach Gardner and their families to be joining our staff at UH," Whitting said. "Both are a super talented coaches and recruiters with tremendous track records of winning at the highest level throughout their careers with seven combined trips to Omaha. Kyle's background in the SEC, Big Ten and ACC will prove to be valuable in our efforts to compete at the highest level of the Big 12 while Matt has built league-leading pitching staffs for numerous years in our conference."
ABOUT KYLE CHEESEBROUGH
In his 16-year career as a college assistant coach, Cheesebrough has used his experience to fill a unique role on each staff. Cheesebrough helped Mississippi State to the College World Series in 2019 and the 2021 national title after spending four years at Indiana (2015-18), three at the Louisville (2012-14) two of which culminated in College World Series appearances, and one year with the Pittsburgh (2011). He also spent one season as an undergraduate assistant at Louisville in 2010 while finishing his degree.
As a coach, Cheesebrough has been a part of 11 NCAA Tournament teams and made four trips to the College World Series, including in 2025 when Mississippi State went from being 26-18 on April 28 after relieving its head coach of his duties, to make an NCAA Regional for the second consecutive year. Along with helping Mississippi State reach Omaha in his first season on staff, Cheesebrough was a part of back-to-back College World Series squads at Louisville. He also made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances as a student-athlete at Louisville, reaching the 2009 Fullerton Super Regional.
Overall, 18 student-athletes Cheesebrough has recruited or coached have earned All-American honors, while eight others have garnered Freshman All-America status. He has worked with 66 all-conference selections during his time as a coach, which includes the trio of Tanner Allen, Justin Foscue, and Jake Mangum, who each earned first-team All-SEC during the 2019 season. In 2025, Cheesebrough tutored Ace Reece to All-SEC First-Team honors after the former Cougar led the league with 159 total bases, ranked second with 18 doubles, 21 homers and a slugging percentage of .772 and ranked third in batting average (.369), hits (76) and RBIs (66).
Cheesebrough had a hand in 21 draft picks during the 2019 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, as a school-record-tying 11 Mississippi State student-athletes and program-record 10 Indiana student-athletes were selected in the draft. The Mississippi State total ranked third nationally, while the Indiana total was tied for fifth among NCAA Division I programs.
In 16 years as a collegiate coach, Cheesebrough has heard 66 of his pupils' names called in the Major League Baseball Draft, with 21 reaching the big leagues. In his first coaching stop at Pittsburgh, both Kevan Smith and Ray Black were selected in the seventh round and have each reached the Major Leagues, Joe Harvey was selected in the 19th round and reached the majors, while Matt Wotherspoon was drafted in the 34th round and reached the Major Leagues. Fourteen more big leaguers came during his time at Louisville, including Nick Burdi, Cody Ege, Adam Engel, Chad Green, Matt Koch, Kyle McGrath, Will Smith, Nick Solak, and Tim Herrin, Andrew Saalfrank, Jonathan Stiever, Caleb Baragar, Scott Effross and Kyle Hart from Indiana.
ABOUT MATT GARDNER
Gardner comes to Houston after 12 successful seasons at Texas Tech which included four College World Series appearances and 37 MLB Draft picks under his tutelage. Gardner has overseen pitching staffs and has also worked with catchers and outfielders during his time in Lubbock.
Gardner guided the Red Raiders pitching staff to unprecedented heights when they set a school record for pitchers selected in the MLB draft in 2015 with five, set another record in 2016 with six, and again in 2018 with seven. In 2021, five Red Raider pitchers were drafted and four more in 2022. Sixteen Red Raider pitchers were taken in the first eight rounds over the last seven years in Matt Withrow, Corey Taylor, Dominic Moreno, Ryan Moseley, Parker Mushinski, Steven Gingery, Caleb Kilian, Clayton Beeter, Bryce Bonnin, Mason Montogemery, Ryan Sublette, Hunter Dobbins, Patrick Monteverde, Andrew Morris, Brandon Birdsell and Chase Hampton.
The Red Raiders posted 45-win seasons for four consecutive years from 2016-19, combining for 183 victories over that span which is the most for Tech since 1995-98. After Gardner's promotion, Tech continued elevating the trajectory of the program by making its first-ever back-to-back College World Series appearances in 2018 and 2019 while capturing the 2019 Big 12 Championship.
In 2023, the Red Raider arms posted a sub-5.00 ERA on the season and ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference with a 4.99 ERA. The stable of arms helped lift Texas Tech to a 40+ win season for the first time since 2019 and an appearance in its seventh-straight NCAA Postseason.
In the 12 seasons on staff at Texas Tech, Gardner helped guide the Red Raiders to eight NCAA appearances, five Super Regionals and three trips to Omaha.
Before arriving at Texas Tech, Gardner was the pitching coach for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2013. He helped lead the Anglers to the President's Trophy, awarded annually to the team with the best overall record (26-17). During his summer in the Cape, Gardner coached Red Raider catcher Hunter Redman and right-handed pitcher Dominic Moreno.
He joined Texas Tech from crosstown Lubbock Christian University after he helped lead the Chaps to a 44-17 overall ranking and a national ranking that jumped to as high as No. 4 nationally during his final year. LCU set a school record following that season with three Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft selections.
During his two campaigns at LCU, the Chaps won 79 games, had 12 All-Sooner Athletic Conference selections and six NAIA All-America selections. LCU received a national ranking during every week of the season during Gardner's two seasons with eight rankings inside the top 10 in the nation.
While at Oklahoma State, Gardner assisted then-head coach Frank Anderson with the pitching duties during the 2010-11 seasons and worked with the team's catchers as a graduate assistant coach in 2009. Gardner coached 21 MLB draft picks at Oklahoma State – 10 of which were pitchers while five OSU players were selected in the top-10 rounds of the MLB Draft. In addition to coaching over 20 draft picks at his alma mater, Gardner mentored 18 All-Big 12 selections, 21 Academic All-Big 12 honorees, two Big 12 Pitchers of the Week and one All-American.
Gardner's coaching career also includes a pair of assistant coaching stints at the junior college level while coaching the fall of 2009 at Ranger College and the fall of 2010 at Midland College.
A Friday-night starter at Oklahoma State for two seasons, Gardner was an All-Big 12 selection and Academic All-Big 12 award winner during his three-year career (2006-08) as a student-athlete. He helped lead OSU to three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, which included a trip to an NCAA Super Regional in 2007. Gardner and the Cowboys captured three straight 40-win seasons, something that hadn't been accomplished in Stillwater since 1997-99.
Gardner earned his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University with a degree in education in 2008. He is originally from Andrews, Texas, graduating from Andrews High School in 2004.
Gardner was born in Lubbock on Nov. 2, 1984. He and his wife, Laiken, were married in October 2015 and have a daughter and a son.
SUPPORT THE COUGARS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective, and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.
A member of the 2021 College World Series Champion coaching staff at Mississippi State and a four-time College World Series coach, Cheesebrough will assist with recruiting and run point of various operations within the program. Gardner, who will serve as the pitching coach for the Cougars, boasts four trips to Omaha with Texas Tech and eight NCAA appearances with the Red Raiders.
"I am excited for Coach Cheesebrough, Coach Gardner and their families to be joining our staff at UH," Whitting said. "Both are a super talented coaches and recruiters with tremendous track records of winning at the highest level throughout their careers with seven combined trips to Omaha. Kyle's background in the SEC, Big Ten and ACC will prove to be valuable in our efforts to compete at the highest level of the Big 12 while Matt has built league-leading pitching staffs for numerous years in our conference."
ABOUT KYLE CHEESEBROUGH
In his 16-year career as a college assistant coach, Cheesebrough has used his experience to fill a unique role on each staff. Cheesebrough helped Mississippi State to the College World Series in 2019 and the 2021 national title after spending four years at Indiana (2015-18), three at the Louisville (2012-14) two of which culminated in College World Series appearances, and one year with the Pittsburgh (2011). He also spent one season as an undergraduate assistant at Louisville in 2010 while finishing his degree.
As a coach, Cheesebrough has been a part of 11 NCAA Tournament teams and made four trips to the College World Series, including in 2025 when Mississippi State went from being 26-18 on April 28 after relieving its head coach of his duties, to make an NCAA Regional for the second consecutive year. Along with helping Mississippi State reach Omaha in his first season on staff, Cheesebrough was a part of back-to-back College World Series squads at Louisville. He also made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances as a student-athlete at Louisville, reaching the 2009 Fullerton Super Regional.
Overall, 18 student-athletes Cheesebrough has recruited or coached have earned All-American honors, while eight others have garnered Freshman All-America status. He has worked with 66 all-conference selections during his time as a coach, which includes the trio of Tanner Allen, Justin Foscue, and Jake Mangum, who each earned first-team All-SEC during the 2019 season. In 2025, Cheesebrough tutored Ace Reece to All-SEC First-Team honors after the former Cougar led the league with 159 total bases, ranked second with 18 doubles, 21 homers and a slugging percentage of .772 and ranked third in batting average (.369), hits (76) and RBIs (66).
Cheesebrough had a hand in 21 draft picks during the 2019 Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, as a school-record-tying 11 Mississippi State student-athletes and program-record 10 Indiana student-athletes were selected in the draft. The Mississippi State total ranked third nationally, while the Indiana total was tied for fifth among NCAA Division I programs.
In 16 years as a collegiate coach, Cheesebrough has heard 66 of his pupils' names called in the Major League Baseball Draft, with 21 reaching the big leagues. In his first coaching stop at Pittsburgh, both Kevan Smith and Ray Black were selected in the seventh round and have each reached the Major Leagues, Joe Harvey was selected in the 19th round and reached the majors, while Matt Wotherspoon was drafted in the 34th round and reached the Major Leagues. Fourteen more big leaguers came during his time at Louisville, including Nick Burdi, Cody Ege, Adam Engel, Chad Green, Matt Koch, Kyle McGrath, Will Smith, Nick Solak, and Tim Herrin, Andrew Saalfrank, Jonathan Stiever, Caleb Baragar, Scott Effross and Kyle Hart from Indiana.
ABOUT MATT GARDNER
Gardner comes to Houston after 12 successful seasons at Texas Tech which included four College World Series appearances and 37 MLB Draft picks under his tutelage. Gardner has overseen pitching staffs and has also worked with catchers and outfielders during his time in Lubbock.
Gardner guided the Red Raiders pitching staff to unprecedented heights when they set a school record for pitchers selected in the MLB draft in 2015 with five, set another record in 2016 with six, and again in 2018 with seven. In 2021, five Red Raider pitchers were drafted and four more in 2022. Sixteen Red Raider pitchers were taken in the first eight rounds over the last seven years in Matt Withrow, Corey Taylor, Dominic Moreno, Ryan Moseley, Parker Mushinski, Steven Gingery, Caleb Kilian, Clayton Beeter, Bryce Bonnin, Mason Montogemery, Ryan Sublette, Hunter Dobbins, Patrick Monteverde, Andrew Morris, Brandon Birdsell and Chase Hampton.
The Red Raiders posted 45-win seasons for four consecutive years from 2016-19, combining for 183 victories over that span which is the most for Tech since 1995-98. After Gardner's promotion, Tech continued elevating the trajectory of the program by making its first-ever back-to-back College World Series appearances in 2018 and 2019 while capturing the 2019 Big 12 Championship.
In 2023, the Red Raider arms posted a sub-5.00 ERA on the season and ranked fourth in the Big 12 Conference with a 4.99 ERA. The stable of arms helped lift Texas Tech to a 40+ win season for the first time since 2019 and an appearance in its seventh-straight NCAA Postseason.
In the 12 seasons on staff at Texas Tech, Gardner helped guide the Red Raiders to eight NCAA appearances, five Super Regionals and three trips to Omaha.
Before arriving at Texas Tech, Gardner was the pitching coach for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2013. He helped lead the Anglers to the President's Trophy, awarded annually to the team with the best overall record (26-17). During his summer in the Cape, Gardner coached Red Raider catcher Hunter Redman and right-handed pitcher Dominic Moreno.
He joined Texas Tech from crosstown Lubbock Christian University after he helped lead the Chaps to a 44-17 overall ranking and a national ranking that jumped to as high as No. 4 nationally during his final year. LCU set a school record following that season with three Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft selections.
During his two campaigns at LCU, the Chaps won 79 games, had 12 All-Sooner Athletic Conference selections and six NAIA All-America selections. LCU received a national ranking during every week of the season during Gardner's two seasons with eight rankings inside the top 10 in the nation.
While at Oklahoma State, Gardner assisted then-head coach Frank Anderson with the pitching duties during the 2010-11 seasons and worked with the team's catchers as a graduate assistant coach in 2009. Gardner coached 21 MLB draft picks at Oklahoma State – 10 of which were pitchers while five OSU players were selected in the top-10 rounds of the MLB Draft. In addition to coaching over 20 draft picks at his alma mater, Gardner mentored 18 All-Big 12 selections, 21 Academic All-Big 12 honorees, two Big 12 Pitchers of the Week and one All-American.
Gardner's coaching career also includes a pair of assistant coaching stints at the junior college level while coaching the fall of 2009 at Ranger College and the fall of 2010 at Midland College.
A Friday-night starter at Oklahoma State for two seasons, Gardner was an All-Big 12 selection and Academic All-Big 12 award winner during his three-year career (2006-08) as a student-athlete. He helped lead OSU to three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, which included a trip to an NCAA Super Regional in 2007. Gardner and the Cowboys captured three straight 40-win seasons, something that hadn't been accomplished in Stillwater since 1997-99.
Gardner earned his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University with a degree in education in 2008. He is originally from Andrews, Texas, graduating from Andrews High School in 2004.
Gardner was born in Lubbock on Nov. 2, 1984. He and his wife, Laiken, were married in October 2015 and have a daughter and a son.
SUPPORT THE COUGARS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Baseball by supporting LinkingCoogs – UH's very own NIL collective, and by joining the Dugout Club which provides financial support directly to Houston Baseball for needs beyond its operating budget.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarBB on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at Houston Cougar Baseball. Fans can also follow the team on Instagram at @uhcougarbb.
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