Matthew Paulson is in his sixth season as a member of the St. Olaf football coaching staff in 2025-26 and currently serves as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Paulson directed the third most-potent offense in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in 2024, as St. Olaf averaged 30.8 points and 387.4 yards per game. Five members of the Oles' offense earned postseason accolades, highlighted by tight end Derek Hansen '25, who was named a D3football.com Second Team All-American. Hansen was also a D3football.com First Team All-Region 6 and was joined on the All-MIAC team by junior offensive lineman Johnathan Hartwig.
In 2023, St. Olaf put together one of the top statistical offensive seasons in program history, ranking tied for second in completions (213), third in passing yards (2,853), completion percentage (62.8%), passing yards per game (285.3), total offense (4,500), and total offense per game (450.0), fourth in pass efficiency (150.2), total offense per play (6.34), and points scored (345), sixth in passing touchdowns (22), tied for ninth in rushing touchdowns (23), and 10th in yards per carry (4.44).
The Oles ranked second in the MIAC in total offense per game and rushing yards per game (164.7), while ranking fourth in points per game (34.5) and passing yards per game. Nationally, St. Olaf had the second-best fourth-down conversion percentage (80.0%, 24-for-30) in NCAA Division III while ranking 10th in red-zone offense (.889), 22nd in fewest sacks allowed (0.90 per game), 30th in total offense, and 33rd in passing offense.
Paulson joined the coaching staff in the spring of 2020 as the tight ends coach and coached a group that posted over 500 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, while producing a Second Team All-MIACÂ honoree in Isaac Coutier '22. He spent the 2022 season as the program's video coordinator and offensive line coach before moving to offensive coordinator and offensive line coach ahead of the 2023 season.
Prior to coming to St. Olaf, Paulson spent the 2019 season at the University of Minnesota as an offensive quality control assistant coach. He was part of a team that finished the season 11-2 with an Outback Bowl victory over Auburn. Minnesota finished the season as the No. 10-ranked team in the country, while averaging 34.1 points and 432 yards per game.
From 2017-18, Paulson served as the wide receivers coach at Springfield College (Mass.). During that span, Springfield had a combined 18-4 record, including the 2017 team that finished 10-1 and appeared in the NCAA Division III Playoffs, while leading the country in rushing at over 435 yards per game.
Paulson graduated from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2015 and earned a master's degree in athletic administration from Springfield in 2018.
Paulson lives in Lakeville with his wife, Emily.
Quick Facts
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minn.
High School: Minnehaha Academy
Institution/Degree: University of Northwestern, St. Paul / B.S. Kinesiology
Institution/Degree: Springfield College/M.A. Athletic Administration
Coaching Experience
2020-pres. - St. Olaf College - Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line (previously Tight Ends/Video Coordinator)
2019-20 - University of Minnesota - Offensive Quality Control
2017-18 - Springfield College Wide Receivers
2016 - St. Olaf College - Running Backs
Postseason Experience
2019 - University of Minnesota - Outback Bowl
2018 - Springfield College - New England Bowl
2017 - Springfield College - NCAA Division III Playoffs - First Round
