“I’m forever a Razorback,” Getting to know Arkansas Assistant Softball Coach Matt Meuchel.

“I will always associate myself as a Razorback and that’s no knock on anybody that’s been before this point. It’s just I found a home here. My family’s found a home, and this program is something that is special to me,” says Meuchel.

Softball and family have gone hand in hand for Assistant coach Matt Meuchel ever since he can remember.

He grew up in Montana and around the game.

“Both my grandparents, my aunts and uncles, my mom, my dad, they all played fast pitch. So we we just grew up at a fast pitch field. My dad ran the league. He mow the lawn. I would be on the tractor while he mowed,” remembers Meuchel.

Being a coach was always something he wanted to do. In 2017 Courtney Deifel brought him to Arkansas to help build what she had started.

“I had eight years of head coach experience at that point, and it was somebody that could help her manage the game,” says Meuchel, “It’s just it’s nice to have somebody as a sounding board, somebody that’s managed the game, somebody that’s done those decisions. Somebody that she could just confide in.”

Immediately he knew he she was on to something.

“I almost knew right away. I just knew the culture, you know, I stepped in a year into them building that culture, knowing, OK, we didn’t necessarily have the personnel yet to get to the to the area that we’re at now. But the culture was set.”

He’s been Deifel’s right hand man ever since. Helping maintain a culture and build a program that’s turned into one of the best in the country.

“I’m able to have decision making every day. I’m around people I love to be around. I’m around players that are passionate about the program. So all of those things as I get older, certainly, you know, with a wife and and two young children, I mean, those things are probably take a front seat to some of the stuff that would take a backseat in the past.”

Entering his 8th season, He’s poured a lot into the players over the years, but it’s not a one-way street. His players have taught him a lot as well.

“To be able to have patience for the imperfections that people have,” adds Meuchel, “I think we learned that as parents and then we learned that as coaches a lot. The ability to be able to just connect with people and have patience and empathy for them.”

Goals accomplished and goals still to be obtained.

Meuchel is looking forward to the upcoming season and a ride that’s no where near over.

“This is the program I hope to end my career in. I mean, I’m forever a Razorback.”