Alice ISD names Matt Peterson new Lady Coyote softball coach

Alice ISD turned to a coach with a winning track record to lead the Lady Coyote softball program, naming Matt Peterson as the next head coach and signaling a clear push toward district contention and playoff runs.

Peterson comes to Alice from Pflugerville High School, where his softball profile says he is a Baylor University graduate and was in his fourth year as head coach. During that span, he compiled a 59-29 record with a 37-6 district mark, guided the Panthers to two district titles and reached the playoffs in all three of those seasons. Pflugerville also advanced to the regional quarterfinals in the 2022-23 season, a run that points to the kind of postseason experience Alice is getting in the hire.

For Alice, the timing matters as much as the résumé. Spring sports are wrapping up, and the next steps for the Lady Coyotes will now run through Peterson’s offseason plan, from summer conditioning to player development and roster preparation. A coaching change at this point in the calendar often sets the tone for how varsity players, junior varsity athletes and younger prospects understand the path into the program.

That makes Peterson’s arrival more than a routine personnel move in Jim Wells County. Alice High School softball has remained active through the spring 2026 schedule, including games against Corpus Christi Moody, King and Gregory-Portland in April. With the season concluded, the coaching transition gives the program a chance to reset before the next round of district games and non-district competition begins.

Alice ISD also frames its athletics program around sportsmanship and positive adult behavior at University Interscholastic League events, describing the district as a Texas Way district. That message fits the expectations now on Peterson’s shoulders: build a competitive team, strengthen the culture around the program and produce results that hold up in district play.

Peterson arrives from a program that has long measured success by championships and playoff appearances, including district titles listed in 2021-2022 and other years across a deep softball history. In Alice, the immediate questions are straightforward: how quickly can the Lady Coyotes improve, how strong will they look in district results, and whether Peterson can turn that new energy into a playoff push next season.