CCU

Megan Matthews Buning Joins Softball Staff

       

Megan Matthews Buning Joins Softball Staff

CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina University softball head coach Jess Dannelly announced today, Sept. 19, the addition of Megan Matthews Buning to the staff as an assistant coach. Matthews Buning will work with the pitchers and her appointment begins immediately.

Matthews Buning joins the Chanticleer staff after serving as an assistant coach at Florida State University from 2004-2007. During her three seasons at FSU, Matthews Buning helped the Seminoles to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Super Regional in 2005. She guided Seminole pitchers to FSU and ACC records. Matthews Buning coached righthander Tiffany McDonald to nationaly rankings as well, she finished second in the country in innings pitched and appearances and also ranked the top-10 in wins and top-20 for strikeouts en route to a co-ACC Freshman of the Year honor in 2005 and a Second Team All-ACC selection in 2007. In addition to her duties with the pitchers, Matthews Buning also served as a recruiting aide to Hall of Fame coach Dr. JoAnne Graf and participated in the program's summer camps.

The Greer, S.C. native joined the FSU staff after wrapping up a phenomenal career as a pitcher for the University of South Carolina. She set school records for strikeouts, complete games, innings pitched and finished one win shy of the all-time win record. Matthews Buning was named a Third-Team All-American in 1999, a three-time All-Southeast Region team member and was a two-time All-SEC selection. She finished her career 11th on the NCAA career strikeout list with 1,090, while racking up 101 career wins.

A four-time member of the SEC Honor Roll, Matthews Buning was named USC's Female Student Athlete of the Year in 2002. The seven-time SEC Pitcher of the Week was also named the SEC Softball Tournament MVP in 2002.

In addition to her playing experience at USC, Matthews Buning spent 2004 as a professional softball player for the New England Riptides. In April 2004, she took part in the Olympic Test event for the British National Team and was the winning pitcher for the Gold Medal Game in Athens, Greece. In 2002, she was a silver medalist at the Puerto Rican Olympic Festival and also served as a guest pitcher for the British National Team at the Canada Cup in Vancouver.

Matthews Buning received her bachelor of science degree in exercise physiology with a concentration in motor development and a cognate in athletic training from USC in 2003. Currently she is pursuing her master's degree in sports psychology at FSU.

The former Megan Matthews, she married Shaun Buning in 2003. The couple resides in Conway.