SANBORN — SUNY Niagara golf head coach Matt Oleski has stepped down after 14 seasons to spend more time with his young family. SUNY Niagara director of athletics Bob McKeown announced the news Wednesday.
An eight-time NJCAA Region III Coach of the Year recipient, Oleski led the Thunderwolves to six regional championships (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026) and four regional medalists. Oleski also had SUNY Niagara make seven NJCAA Division III appearances (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026), where the team’s score of 1,239 in 2025 is the lowest at nationals in school history.
“Matt was an incredible part of the SUNY Niagara Athletic team,” McKeown said. “He is a tremendous coach, contributor and person. He made SUNY Niagara Athletics a better place and he will be sorely missed.”
On the green, Oleski and SUNY Niagara posted three top-four finishes at nationals in 2021, 2022 and 2025. Oleski recorded 64 tournament wins, had 43 national qualifiers and 11 NJCAA All-Americans (Shane Helbig, 2017; Sam Hyman, 2021; Leo Camilloni, 2022 & 2023; Sean Barrett, 2022 & 2023; Zac Golibersuch, 2022; McCarthy Lang, 2022 & 2023; Kennedy Lang, 2022; Adam Firkins, 2024; Eliel Rodriguez, 2025; Ryan Kates, 2025; Finn Graham, 2026).
During Oleski’s tenure, SUNY Niagara set NJCAA Region III records for lowest team score (291, Jefferson Community College Invitational, May 1, 2026) and team low season average (307.18, 2025). Both records are also two of the five total top finishes by a Thunderwolf in program history, which remain intact.
The other three records are most tournament wins in a season (11 in 2022), low individual average (Sean Barrett, 74.36, 2023) and low individual score (Finn Graham, 68, Hudson Valley Invitational on April 17, 2026 and Jefferson Invitational on May 1, 2026).
SUNY Niagara also had over a dozen athletes continue their golf careers after their time in Sanborn. These include Barrett (Canisius University), Rodriguez (Greensboro College) and Graham (Niagara University).
“Coaching golf at Niagara County Community College/SUNY Niagara has been a privilege and a pleasure,” Oleski said. “I can thank Director of Athletics Bob McKeown for the opportunities to build the program into what it is today. I applaud him for fully believing and trusting me to head the program how I saw fit. He provided nothing but support and did not micromanage me one single time in 15 years.
I would like to thank my family, colleagues and administration for the opportunity and support. I want to thank my players for all the hard work and dedication from Day One. That means more than they will ever know. I have memories for a lifetime between all the van rides, hotel stays and tournaments played.
I am proud of the work I put in and the results we’ve achieved. I truly feel SUNY Niagara Golf is the premier junior college program in New York State. I can walk away knowing I gave it my best each and every day and that was all I ever set out to do. Thunderwolves Athletics will always have a piece of my heart and I wish them continued success in the future.”
Oleski also founded SUNY Niagara’s club hockey program in the 2013-14 season and was its first head coach for six seasons. Oleski led the Thunderwolves to their first Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League (UNYCHL) Tier II championship in 2019-20.
After the 2020-21 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oleski returned as the team’s director of hockey operations in the 2021-22 season and held the position until last season. While an administrator, SUNY Niagara defended its UNYCHL Tier II championship in 2021-22 and elevated to Tier I in 2022-23, where it finished as runners-up to Niagara University.
A native of West Seneca, Oleski earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Mars Hill University in 2010 and a master’s degree in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management from Concordia University in 2017. The Buffalo Fire Department currently employs Oleski, and he resides with his wife, Heather, and twins Hazel and Reed in South Buffalo.
SUNY Niagara 2018 graduate and 2017 NJCAA Division III national qualifier Cameron Eddy will take over as the golf program’s next head coach effective immediately, McKeown also announced Wednesday. More on Eddy’s hiring will be announced within the next few days.