COLLEGE PARK, Md. (DC News Now) — After attending and playing baseball at Maryland and serving more than a decade on the team’s coaching staff, Matt Swope knows the University of Maryland campus better than just about anyone.

On Wednesday, the university introduced Swope as Maryland baseball’s new head coach.

“It’s a dream come true,” Swope said. “I said it before, this has always been a lifestyle, it’s not a job. It truly is a dream come true and I’m just so thankful to get this opportunity.”

Swope is the ninth head coach in program history. Promoted from within, Swope fills the void as former Maryland head coach Rob Vaugh accepted the same position at Alabama. Vaughn became the team’s head coach, also promoted from within, when former head coach John Szefc left Maryland for the head coaching job at Virginia Tech.

“No offense to the other coaches but this has always been a destination job for me,” Swope told DC News Now. “And that may be one of the knocks on this place is coaches come as a stepping stone and then they leave and that’s never been my goal.”

Swope has helped Maryland to plenty of success in his 11 years on the coaching staff, including six NCAA regionals and two Super Regionals appearances. He also helped Maryland earn a bid as an NCAA regional host for the first time in program history in 2022.

“I was in tears when we hosted the regional. We’ve won two regionals and we’ve been one game away from Omaha,” Swope said. “Knocking down the doors of Omaha, I won’t rest until we do that. That’s the goal every year.”

Swope has tied beyond the university in the area, he is a native of New Carrollton, Maryland and a graduate of DeMatha Catholic high school. Swope is the first Maryland graduate to be the head coach of the school’s baseball program since Tom Bradley coached from 1991-2000.