Awards and Honors:
2022 All-ASUN Conference
2021 Second Team All-OVC
OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (2021-22)
Dean's List (S21, F21, S22, F22, S23)
2022: An All-ASUN Conference selection, he played in 10 games… Punted five times for an average of 43.40 yards with a long of 47 yards and one punt downed inside the 20-yard line against Western Kentucky (Aug. 27)… For the first time in his Austin Peay career, his punting services were not needed in the Governors 63-0 win against Presbyterian (Sept. 3)… Punted five times for a season-best average of 45.20 yards with two 50-plus yard punts and three punts downed inside the 20-yard line against Mississippi Valley State (Sept. 10)… Averaged 42.00 yards on six kicks against Alabama A&M (Sept. 17) with a season-long 57 yard punt and two kicks down inside the 20-yard line in the contest… Punted three times for an average of 43.33 yards at Central Arkansas (Oct. 1)… Had a season-high seven punts for an average of 36.14 yards against Jacksonville State (Oct. 29) with a long of 47 yards and one punt downed inside the 20-yard line… Punted six times in the season finale against Alabama (Nov. 19), recording an average of 40.50 yards, one kick downed inside the 20-yard line, and a season-long 57-yard punt… Finished the season with 44 punts for an average of 40.89 yards – the fourth-best single-season mark in APSU history… Had four 50-plus yard punts and eight punts downed inside the 20-yard line in 2022… At the time his career ended, his 39.63 yards per punt was the best career punting average in Austin Peay history.
2021: A Second Team All-OVC selection, punted 55 times, averaging 40.73 yards per kick – the fifth-best mark in program history… Punted seven times in the season opener at Chattanooga (Sept. 2), with three punts downed within the 20… Punted eight times, averaging 46.63 yards per boot against Tennessee State (Oct. 2). Had three kicks of 50-plus yards against the Tigers including a season-high 60-yard punt – the second 60-plus yard kick of his career… Tallied a season-high 49 yards per kick on three attempts against Southeast Missouri (Oct. 9)… His 40.84 average in OVC play was second-best among the league’s punters… Became the third Gov to average more than 40 yards per punt in a season…Recorded a 50-plus yard kick in five-straight games from Sept. 11 to Oct. 9.
2020-2021: Served as the Govs primary punter during the spring... Punted twice in college debut against Tennessee Tech (Feb. 21)... Had a career outing against Tennessee State (Feb. 28), averaging 33.70 yards per punt on 10 attempts, becoming the first Austin Peay punter with double-digit punts in a game since Ben Campbell punted 11 times against Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 4, 2014)… Also hit a career-long 65-yard punt against the Tigers, which was the first 60-yard punt by a Gov since a 65-yard kick by Devin Stuart at Jacksonville State (Sept. 28, 2018)... Finished the season with four 50-plus yard kicks, two 60-plus yard kicks, nine punts downed inside the 20-yard line, and just one touchback... Averaged 36.31 yards per punt on 35 attempts.
Prior to Austin Peay: Redshirted at Middle Tennessee in 2019... Did not see action for the Blue Raiders in 2019 or the fall season of 2020 before transferring to Austin Peay.
High School: Was a punter for head coach Scott Blade at Independence High School… During his senior season, he averaged 37.4 yards per punt and placed six of his 24 punts inside the 20-yard line… He was named Second Team All-Williamson County by MainStreetPreps.com… Following his senior year, he participated in Chris Sailer’s Kicking Camp… As a junior, Rigney handled kickoff duties for the Eagles with 24 of his 47 kickoffs going for touchbacks.
Personal: Matthew Lee Rigney is the son of Dennis and Sharon Rigney… Birthday is May 13… Has a sister, Emily, who was a member of Vanderbilt’s bowling team… A marketing major.
