NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Melody Webb announced on Tuesday afternoon the hiring of Tatjana Matthews as the 10th head coach of the Spartan softball program.
A proven leader and trailblazer in collegiate softball, Matthews brings a wealth of coaching experience and a record of building programs into contenders. Throughout her career, she has guided teams to historic milestones while developing student-athletes into champions on the field and in the classroom.
"We are proud to welcome Coach Matthews to the Spartan family," Webb said. "She is a true trailblazer whose passion, vision, and relentless drive will take Norfolk State softball to new heights. I am confident she will build a championship-caliber program that inspires excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community."
Matthews arrives at Norfolk State following a successful six-year stint as head coach at South Carolina State. During her tenure, she coached eight All-MEAC honorees, including 2025 MEAC Player of the Year Taylor Ames-Alexander.
In 2024, Matthews guided the Lady Bulldogs to their first MEAC Softball Tournament appearance in 13 years, earning the No. 5 seed. After dropping their opening game to N.C. Central, SCSU bounced back with a 6-3 upset over No. 2 Howard before narrowly falling to No. 1 Morgan State in extra innings, 3-2.
Prior to South Carolina State, Matthews spent the 2019 season at Allen University, where she engineered a dramatic turnaround, improving the program's record to 16-24 after a 4-30 campaign the year prior. She also served as the inaugural head coach at Mississippi University for Women in 2018, leading the Owls to a 21-19 record in their first-ever season.
"I am honored to join the Norfolk State University Spartans as the head softball coach," said Matthews. "I extend my gratitude to Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Melody Webb and President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston for their trust and support in this incredible opportunity. Norfolk State boasts a proud tradition of empowering student athletes to achieve their full potential and turn aspirations into reality. I am eager to build upon this legacy, fostering growth for out student-athletes both on and off the field. I look forward to becoming an integral part of this remarkable community and continuing to elevate Spartan softball."
As a student-athlete, the former Tatjana Slawson began her collegiate career at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C. She was a Peach Belt Academic Team and Academic All-America selection, while etching her name in the FMU record book. Matthews still holds program records for single-season RBI, career RBI, fielding percentage, games started, and consecutive games started, while ranking among the top 10 in doubles.
She completed her playing career at Charleston Southern University, where she earned recognition as a Scholar-Athlete, a member of the 4.0 Buc Athlete Club, and was listed in Who's Who in 2009. She also began her coaching journey there as a graduate assistant while earning a master's degree in criminal justice. Matthews previously earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from Francis Marion.
