Matt Dobson is in his second season as head coach of the West Florida men's and women's cross country teams. After five successful seasons as head coach of the Argonauts men's cross country, Dobson was promoted to full-time head coach of the cross country and track squads in August 2005.

Dobson has led the West Florida men's cross country team to a 363-74 (.830) overall record against NCAA Division II opponents. In 2006 he led the Argonauts to a 40-7 record and a second place finish at the Gulf South Conference Championships. West Florida just missed qualifying for the national championships as a team, but senior Michael Padilla became cross country's first NCAA Division II All-America selection.

In two seasons with the women's team, Dobson has compiled a 96-23-1 record. In 2006, West Florida posted a 43-10-1 record. The Argonauts finished tied for third at the GSC Championships, their best finish since 1997. At the NCAA Division II South Region Championships, West Florida improved on their ninth place finish in 2005 to earn a sixth place finish.

Dobson has coached a cross country and track and field All-America performer. In cross country, he has coached four NCAA Division II All-South Region and 35 All-GSC selections. All of the men's top 10K times have been set under Dobson's guidance, as well as seven of the top ten 8K times and seven track records.

As a performer, Dobson led West Florida to the NAIA National Championships in 1987 and 1988. He was the West Florida captain in 1988, and the first Argonaut runner in school history to participate in a sanctioned track and field meet in the spring of 1988. In the spring of 1989, Dobson transferred to Florida State University and earned scholarships in both cross country and track and field.

While at Florida State, Dobson set several records. Most notably, he was a member of the 1991 Florida State track team that became NCAA Division I co-record holders for most consecutive conference track and field titles (15). Dobson was the 1991 Metro Conference 10,000-meter champion and is among the top 15 all-time 10,000-meter runners for Florida State track and field.

Dobson remains competitive in world, national and local events. He has won overall titles in over 200 road races, track meets and cross country events in the last 20 years and holds over 33 course records throughout the Southeast. His personal records include: 400 meters (:51), 800 meters (1:59), mile (4:13), 5K (14:24), 10K (29:31), marathon (2:27).

In 2001 Dobson won the World Police and Fire Games 10,000 meters in Indianapolis, Ind. He also became a national champion by winning the 2001 USA Track & Field Master's Championship (30-34 age group) in the 5,000 meters in Baton Rouge, La.

In January, Dobson finished second at the Walt Disney World Marathon with a time of 2:32:23. He became the first American winner of the 2004 Disney Marathon with a time of 2:27. Dobson competed at the 2002 Boston Marathon, finishing 94th out of 17,000 competitors. He finished 49th at the 2004 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:39:29. Dobson also placed third overall with a time of 2:30 at the 2003 Buffalo (N.Y.) Marathon. The USA Track and Field Florida Association named Dobson the 2004 Florida Long Distance Runner of the Year.

Dobson's training philosophy is rooted and grounded in quality mileage, not quantity. He looks for self-discipline, determination, sacrifice, consistency and passion in a recruit. He believes those are the keys to becoming a successful student-athlete.

The former Jay (Fla.) High School standout earned a bachelor's degree in criminology from Florida State. Dobson also earned a master's degree from West Florida in health, leisure and sports/physical education. He has two children, Anna Marie and David.