SERVICE BEFORE SELF!
Submitted on June 23, 2026
MATT DENEEN ‘90
By Bethany Hornback Langdon ‘93, Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing, Special Advisor to the President
Since 2023, Matt Deneen ’90 has served as a Kentucky Senator representing District 10. But, one could say his path to serving the Commonwealth began as a basketball standout at Elizabethtown High School, where he was recruited by Georgetown College in the fall of 1986.
Deneen remembers visiting many colleges during the athletic recruiting process, and Georgetown was the perfect fit with a beautiful campus that felt like home right away. “At Georgetown, of course, I learned the skills necessary to become an educator, but more importantly, the value of relationships. Putting the service of others before self was instilled in me through my experience at Georgetown College,” explains Deneen. “Every Georgetown College graduate is wealthy in terms of relationships.”
Dr. Jim Heizer, in the history department, was a big influence on Deneen. “There were many times when I had to miss an exam or final due to athletic travel. The professors were there for the students. I remember taking a final exam at the professor’s kitchen table. The faculty and staff made sure not only were your academic needs being met, but also your social and personal needs,” shared Deneen.
GC men’s basketball has more wins than any other NAIA team and, in the
1990s, was always in a position to challenge for a national championship.
Coach Jim Reid and Happy Osborne helped to develop players and assist them in pursuing their dreams. During Deneen’s four years at GC, the team made two NAIA tournament final-four appearances. Deneen went overseas to play professionally in Australia with the Hobart Hornets in Tasmania. Deneen recalls about GC, “It was not a basketball team; the whole campus was a team, it was a team of Georgetown College, whether students play tennis, football, baseball, softball, or any sport, we were on the same team, cheering for each other.”
“When you come to Georgetown College as a student-athlete, you must compete; you must step up your game. The coaches teach you the importance of preparation, working in the off-season, and understanding that, as a student-athlete at GC, you are representing more than yourself. At GC, you come to understand that more important than the wins on the court or the field are the lifetime of wins that teach you to deal with adversity, the value of commitment, and the importance of dedicating yourself to a cause bigger than yourself,” states Deneen.
On the importance of coaching, Deneen shared, “Jim Reid was a masterful coach. I never doubted that he was putting you as a player and the team in a position for success. He took all the obstacles into account. He had a calmness and confidence about him when the game was on the line that translated to you as a player and as a person. Be confident in your skills and preparation, and you will be successful.”
Deneen earned an MA in education from Western Kentucky University and enjoyed a twenty-nine-year career in Kentucky education. He started out as a middle and high school social studies teacher, then became a principal and administrator, while coaching basketball along the way. Finishing his educational career while leading an alternative school was among Deneen’s educational highlights. What Deneen enjoys most about being a retired educator is the encounters he has with former students who, in turn, introduce him to their children, recalling time spent in Mr. Deneen’s classroom.
Deneen served two terms on the Elizabethtown City Council before being elected to the State Senate in 2023, where he chairs the Veterans, Military Affairs & Public Protection Committee, co-chairs the Education Assessment & Accountability Review Subcommittee, and serves on the Judiciary, Agriculture, and Families & Children Committees. In addition, Deneen has served on numerous nonprofit boards and civic organizations in Elizabethtown, including the Trail Town Advisory Board, Airport Board, and Greenspace Committee.
Deneen studied education and business while at GC and was a member of Kappa Alpha Order. Tanya (Rush) Deneen ’90, a major in accounting, was a Kappa Delta, and is currently Chief Risk Officer at The Cecilian Bank. They have two daughters: Katelyn, a 2023 GC graduate and public school teacher, and Julie, who works at the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab. Tiger Pride runs deep in the Deneen family.
Deneen recalls a unique experience in his first year as a senator, where he was invited to speak at a forum for college presidents hosted by the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. As Deneen stood at the podium and looked out among the attendees to see President Rosemary Allen listening to him speak, he knew his Georgetown College education had served him well.
For more great stories like Deneen's, read the Spring 2026 Issue of GC Moments: The Georgetown College Alumni Magazine.
