Arcadia adds Matera as assistant coach

Emma Matera isn’t going far to begin her coaching career.

The former Ursinus standout has been hired as an assistant coach for the Arcadia University women’s wrestling program, the school announced on social media. She joins the staff of head coach Michael Childs, who is in his second season leading the Knights.

Matera was the only girl in the Delran (New Jersey) High School wrestling room as a freshman. She went on to win two state titles, becoming the school’s first female state champion as a sophomore in 2020 and adding a 135-pound crown in 2021.

At Ursinus, Matera qualified for the NCWWC National Championships in each of her first two seasons. She went 26-10 as a first-year in 2023-24, leading the team in wins, and posted a 24-11 record with 13 falls as a sophomore. In April 2024, she placed seventh at 72 kilograms at U23 Nationals to earn All-America honors, becoming the first Ursinus wrestler to place at a national event, according to FloWrestling.

Arcadia, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania, competed in women’s wrestling for the first time in 2025-26 as an NCAA Division III member of the Middle Atlantic Conference. Childs was named the program’s first head coach in 2024 after seven seasons as an assistant at Ursinus.

Matera said Arcadia’s commitment to developing student-athletes as people drew her to the program.

“Arcadia’s vision for growth and its commitment to pouring into student-athletes as whole people is truly special,” said Matera. “I believe that the impact of athletics extends far beyond the field, and having an environment that prioritizes personal growth, character, leadership and lifelong development makes this opportunity even more meaningful. I am incredibly excited for the journey ahead with Arcadia.”