When Matthew Gillette, Director of Athletics at Palo Alto College, talks about his athletes, it’s never just about the scoreboard. For him, sports have always been a vehicle for something bigger: leadership, teamwork, accountability, and opportunity. This belief brought him to Palo Alto College just over a year ago. Gillette’s path to higher education began on the court, when he earned a spot on the basketball team at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. “One of the reasons I even decided to go to college was because I got an offer to play basketball,” Gillette recalls. “Once I was there, I fell in love with the whole college experience and the idea that sports could be bigger than just wins and losses.” While earning his degree, he discovered a passion for athletics administration through serving on the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. This led him to roles in admissions and athletics at Baylor University, Stephen F. Austin State University, and his alma mater. Along the way, he even founded an esports program. When the Athletics Director role opened at PAC, the timing was perfect. “ PAC kind of called out to me,” shared Gillette. “ My wife and I were expecting our twin daughters around that time, and she's from the area. I'd heard nothing but great things about the Alamo colleges, and it seemed like a good fit, where I could give students in this area the same chance I had to use sports as a pathway to an education and a career.” When Gillette arrived, PAC’s Athletics Department was still recovering from the pandemic. Facilities were limited, the auditorium was closed, and participation had taken a hit. But he saw an opportunity. His vision? “We're trying to make our club sports here at PAC feel as close to intercollegiate athletics as possible,” shared Matt. “That's not just the games, it's the stuff like study hall hours, prioritizing education, getting a meaningful career, joining the military, or going to a four-year school afterwards. It’s about how we use student involvement to help them in the future.” At first, the higher expectations were a shock to some athletes. But by the end of the first semester, GPAs were up with an average GPA above 3.0, graduation pathways were stronger, and students were seeing the benefits. “Now it’s just the standard. They understand it, they get it, and they know what they stand for,” he says. The results speak for themselves. In spring 2025, the men’s basketball team brought home the TCAC championship for the first time in more than 15 years. Gillette credits that success to the work his athletes put in off the court. “Winning takes care of itself when you do your best and do everything you possibly can in all aspects of your life. Winning is just a product of that excellence,” Gillette shared. His work is not stopping there. Recognizing the community’s need for more baseball opportunities, Gillette revived PAC’s baseball program, filling the roster with 30+ athletes in just weeks. Through partnerships with the City of San Antonio and local organizations like Five Diamonds Baseball Academy, the team has secured facilities, hosted free youth clinics, and created new pathways for local athletes. While PAC’s four teams may total nearly 100 athletes, Gillette insists his work is about all 13,000 students on campus. From intramurals to the new fitness center, he’s creating a student experience where everyone feels like they belong. “Just because we're not a city as big as Houston, or have the infrastructure or the wealth like Austin or the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area. That doesn't mean that the students here don't matter or belong, or have something more to give to the world.”  With the new multi-generational gymnasium on the horizon and talks of expanding sports offerings, Gillette sees PAC athletics playing an even larger role in the community. “I really want to use athletics as a way to increase involvement, increase community awareness, and ensure that these community members in South San Antonio have a home at Palo Alto College.” As you can see, at the heart of it all is a family-first mindset, both in his personal life as a husband and father, and in how he leads. “Changing one student’s life can change the lives of their whole family,” Gillette says. “That’s what makes PAC special. We’re all focused on bettering people, building community, and creating opportunity.” Whether it’s building championship teams, raising the bar academically, or creating new opportunities for student-athletes, Gillette and his team are proving that athletics at Palo Alto College is about so much more than just the game. To learn more about PAC Athletics or find ways to support the program, visit alamo.edu/pac/athletics.