Matlak, a fullback called the “Baddest Dude in Town,” led the team in rushing his senior year and in scoring his freshman and senior seasons. As fullback for three years and a tailback his senior season, Matlak finished his career with 31 touchdowns and third spot on the all-time Allegheny career scoring list with 186 points.
After missing the first game of his senior year due to a pre-season injury, Mark came back to churn out 744 yards on the ground in seven contests, averaging more than 100 yards per game while scoring eight touchdowns.
Matlak earned four letters in both football and baseball at Allegheny. His list of post-season honors is truly impressive. He was the NCAA Division III scoring leader in 1974 when he scored 10 touchdowns in eight games. In 1976 he was leading punt returner in the nation in Division III with an average of 15.4 yards per return.
Matlak was a three-time First Team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selection in 1975, ’76, and ’77 and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the Conference in both 1976 and 1977 and he was named to the Press’ All-District Team in 1975, ’76, and ’77.
He won the WMGW Football Coaches Award in 1967, the Offensive Big Play Award in 1976, and the F. Dawson Weber Outstanding Back Award in both 1975 and 1976. He was the Gators’ Most Valuable Player for four straight seasons.
On the diamond, Matlak was a four-time All-Conference player.
He was named Allegheny’s Male Athlete of the Year in 1978 and was selected to “Who’s Who Among Student Athletes in American Universities and Colleges” in the 1977-78 edition.
Matlak followed an outstanding senior year in football with an equally impressive season on the Gator baseball diamond. He led the team in triples, home runs, and runs batted in as he garnered Most Valuable Player honors.
Following his graduation, Matlak was immediately hired as a member of the Gator football staff for 1978 and as a fulltime faculty member and baseball coach in the spring of 1979.
After two years at Allegheny, Matlak departed Meadville for the University of New Hampshire. He later returned to continue coaching football at Allegheny.
