Ave Maria University Men's Basketball

Jamon Copeland, who served as the head men’s basketball coach at Ave Maria from 2009-2013, is in his sixth year back at the University. The 2024-2025 season will be Copeland's tenth overall as the head coach of the Gyrenes. The 2025-26 season will be Copeland’s 16th season as a head coach with prior stops at Aledo High School, The University of Texas at Tyler, Ave Maria University, Texas State University, Trinity Valley Community College, and Keller Central High School. In Copeland's five years back at Ave Maria, the Gyrenes have been a consistent contender in The Sun Conference, posting a record of .500 or better in each season.  AMU went to the Sun Conference final four in back-to-back years, including a trip to the conference tournament championship game in 2021. He also coached his second All-American in 2021, as guard Eric Klekas earned Honorable Mention honors. His 2023-24 team was a historic one, as the Gyrenes earned an at-large bid to the NAIA Tournament, and won the program's first-ever national tournament game, a thrilling win in Oklahoma over nationally-ranked Southwestern. The team took another step forward in 2024-25, winning the Sun Conference Tournament title for the second time in program history. The Gyrenes were a three-seed in the 2025 NAIA Men's Basketball Tournament, and earned a first round win for the second year in a row, an overtime victory over Xavier (La.). Copeland's second stint at Ave Maria began after a year at Aledo High School (TX).  During his one season (2019-20) in Aledo as the head basketball coach, he lead the Bearcats to a second place District 4-5A finish and was awarded District 4-5A Coach of the Year honors. Prior to Aledo, Copeland served six years (2013-19) at The University of Texas at Tyler as their head men’s basketball coach.  While in Tyler, Copeland led the Patriots to the program’s first postseason victory, the second, third, and fourth-most wins in a season in school history, while also finishing with the most wins in a season for a first year head coach.  Copeland also served as the Interim Director of Compliance in 2017 for the UT Tyler Athletic Department. In 2009, Copeland was given the responsibility to start the program as the head men’s basketball coach at Ave Maria University. During his four years (2009-2013) at the helm of the program, Copeland increased the program’s wins in a season every year, going from 14 to 23.  His teams were ranked in the NAIA Top 25 on numerous occasions, reaching as high as number 14 in the country. Prior to moving to Florida, Copeland served as the assistant men’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas State University in San Marcos.  Copeland helped sign three McDonald’s All-American candidates, four players ranked in the Top 40 in the state of Texas, and helped the Bobcats improve their win totals in each of his three seasons. During the 2005-06 season, Copeland was the assistant men's and women’s basketball coach at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas where he helped lead the Lady Cardinals to a Region XIV Championship and a NJCAA National Tournament appearance. Copeland began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Keller Central High School. He is a 2004 graduate of Franciscan University and holds a Master of Science from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Additionally, Copeland is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is also a CrossFit Level I Trainer. He is also a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and Catholic Basketball Association (CBA). A native of Coppell, Texas, Copeland and his wife Jessica reside in Ave Maria with their five children: Corban, Blaise, Asher, Judah, and Mikel.

Paul Matthews is in his sixth season on the Ave Maria University men's basketball staff. Matthews spent nearly a decade in NCAA Division II basketball, spending time at Seton Hill University, Gannon University, and Christian Brothers University.  Most recently, Matthews was an assistant basketball coach for John Reilly at Christian Brothers University in the Gulf South Conference (GSC) and Gannon University in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Coach Reilly is the all-time career leader in wins at Gannon University and led the program to two PSAC championships, 5 NCAA tournament appearances and one elite eight appearance.   Before working with coach Reilly, Matthews began his career at Seton Hill University as an assistant coach and eventual associate head coach.  Matthews worked for coach Tony Morocco at Seton Hill University for 7 years.  During his 7 years as assistant and associate head coach, he recruited and coached Seton Hill’s all-time leading scorer, five 1,000 point scorers, one PSAC Freshman of the Year, two PSAC Defensive Players of the Year, one Second Team Academic All American, two Second Team All-Region performers, three First Team All-Conference performers, and seven Second Team All-Conference performers.  Academically, Matthews managed an academic program that led the conference twice in team GPA.   Matthews has coached at numerous summer basketball camps, including the Hoop Group Elite Camps and the Shanghai Basketball Association. Matthews’ grandfather, Bernie Matthews, is a member of the Pennsylvania Basketball Hall of Fame, the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Hall of Fame and the all-time winningest men’s basketball coach at St. Vincent College where he coached for 33 years.      Matthews was raised in Greensburg, PA and is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College, where he was a captain and an all-conference performer.  In 2011, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in accounting.  He also earned a master’s degree in business administration from Seton Hill University in 2013.

Frank O'Brien is in his second season as an assistant coach with the Ave Maria University men's basketball program. O'Brien brings more than 40 years of coaching experience, both at the high school and collegiate levels, to the Ave Maria bench. For the past 20 seasons, O'Brien served as an assistant coach at John Carroll University. His high school stops include Holy Name High School, VASJ High School, Garfield Heights High School, North Royalton High School, St. Peter Chanel High School, and St. Ignatius High School. In March 2022, O'Brien was honored with the Ohio Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) Hall of Honor Award, "awarded to those individuals who have provided exemplary service to Ohio High School Basketball. O'Brien is a graduate of John Carroll University, earning his degree in business administration in 1977.