Matthew Dieguez ‘23, Starting Varsity Quarterback & Division 1 Baseball Commit

Matthew DeFranza ’26 

“We’re all brothers.” In this simple yet powerful statement, quarterback Matthew Dieguez ’23 encompasses how he feels about the members of Chaminade High School’s varsity football team.

Dieguez started his freshman and sophomore seasons as freshman and JV quarterback, respectively, and then was a backup during his junior year on varsity. Now, however, he is back at the helm.

“Last year was tough,” he says. “We were very talented…and I thought [Thomas Stueber ’22] was one of the best quar-terbacks I’ve played with. Last year was a good stepping stone for me to take over the throne this year, and I feel like I’ve done a solid job. It was a needed step in my growth as an athlete.”

Not only is Matthew the starting quarterback for the varsity squad, but he is also committed to play baseball at Fordham University. “I picked Fordham University,” Dieguez stated, “because it is not only a prestigious athletic university, but it is also very prestigious in regards to its academics. I will be entering Fordham’s business school, and Chaminade—especially the Bloomberg class—has opened my eyes to the business world.”

Dieguez works hard to balance football, baseball, and academics. “I get a lot of work done in school,” Dieguez confirmed, “and then I go to practice, I go home, and I play baseball usually every day.”

He draws inspiration from his father, who was a professional baseball player. Dieguez and his father have a close relationship, where his father guides Dieguez to pursue his own athletic journey.

“It means the world to me to be able to continue my athletic career in college,” Dieguez stated. “It has been my goal since I was just a child to be able to play not only D1 baseball, but also professional baseball—just as my father had. Growing up, I looked up to my father and wanted to be like him. That is why, as I grow closer to my ultimate goal, it feels good. But it is just the beginning.”

Dieguez sees something special in this year’s Flyers squad, believing them to be “one of the closest teams we’ve had.” He added, “We have each other’s back. Sometimes in practice, offense, and defense there’s going to be beef, but there’s a sense that we’ll all come together at the end of the day, and we all love each other.”