Lea was hired in the fall of 2003 as an assistant coach for the men's and women's sprint and jump events.

Lea earned NCAA All-American honors in 2001 as member of the University of Arizona 4x400m relay team that finished 4th at the NCAA Indoor National Championships. He competed in the 200m, 400m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay for the Wildcats. Matt was named the 2003 Arizona Track & Field Team Captain. Lea was a four-year PAC-10 finalist at 400m and a 2003 NCAA Regional qualifier at 400m. Matt's HS best of 47.37 for 400m was the #4 prep time in the nation in 1998.

Lea majored in psychology at the University of Arizona along with a thematic minor in Retailing and Consumer Sciences. He was elected Vice-President of the Student Athlete Advisory Board and earned the Mary Roby Academic Achievement Award in 2002. Lea graduated from Camarillo HS in 1998, and currently resides in the Camarillo area.