Coach Matt Mahar has had a very successful first two years at the helm of the Silversword basketball program. In his first season as head coach, Mahar led the Swords to their first ever PacWest Conference Championship. The Swords also made a first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005-06 and defeated their first round opponent, Alaska-Anchorage, to advance to the "Field of 32".

Chaminade accumulated more wins than any other NCAA Division II Silversword team of the past, totaling 19 wins on the season. It was the most wins for a CU basketball team in 17 seasons. Chris Reaves was named Pac West Player of the Year under Coach Mahar's tutelage.

Chaminade saw four players earn all-conference honors while Mahar was named PacWest Coach of the Year in the banner 2005-06 season.

Coach Mahar's second year was tantalizingly close to meeting the landmarks of the year before. Chaminade again had the Pac West Player of the Year, Zack Whiting, who was also named an All-American. Four Swords were named All Pac West. However, CUH finished 16-11 on the year, good for third place in the PacWest and just missed the NCAA tournament.

Coach Mahar is no stranger to Honolulu. Coach Mahar joined the Silversword staff in 2001 and spent three years as an assistant coach under Aaron Griess prior to being promoted to head coach in 2005.

Mahar also serves as an Assistant Director of Athletics for the University which sponsors ten varsity sports including: men's basketball, cross country, golf and soccer, while alos sponsoring women's basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.

Before joining the CU staff, he served as assistant coach to head coach Bob Tipson at Champlain College in Burlington, VT. Prior to his position at Champlain College, Mahar was an assistant coach at the University of Vermont, Johnson & Wales University, and Johnson State College. His father, Buddy, is the former head basketball coach and 1982 NABC Coach of the Year at Columbia University in New York City. He won the award after leading the Lions to a 16-10 season and a second place finish in the Ivy League.

Mahar graduated from Johnson State College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science in 1996. In his two seasons at Johnson State College, Mahar led the Badgers to back-to-back winning seasons, while earning First Team All-Conference nominations. He also led the nation in assists per game (9).

Mahar played his first two seasons at the Community College of Rhode Island under Hall of Fame Coach Vin Cullen. Mahar helped lead CCRI to two national tournament appearances including an appearance in the Division III Junior College National Championship game in Delhi, New York.