Fort Cherry’s Matt Sieg flips commitment from Penn State to West Virginia

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | 11:09 AM

As a two-way star at Fort Cherry, senior Matt Sieg built an all-time great high school career, but his days of playing both ways might not be over.

The four-star safety stunningly flipped his college commitment from Penn State to West Virginia on Wednesday, saying he wanted a school close to home and a coach willing to let him play defense and offense. Sieg announced his decision as part of an online National Signing Day show hosted by 247Sports.

Either Pitt or Virginia Tech seemed favored to land Sieg with Indiana and Notre Dame also in contention for the 6-foot, 180-pounder who had close to two dozen offers. Yet the Mountaineers made the strongest closing push for Sieg.

“It’s been a long, stressful process,” said Sieg, whose timeline was hastened by his desire to enroll early. “A lot has changed in the last few months, but we’re here and we’re ready.”

Sieg originally committed to Penn State in November 2024. However, his plans changed once the Nittany Lions fired coach James Franklin on Oct. 12, leading Sieg to visit other schools.

“A big thing for me was staying close to home,” Sieg said on the 247Sports show. “The family is really important to me, having that support close by from my family and friends and grandparents and everything. I just realized (West Virginia) provided me a great opportunity to have that, be at a great school and play both sides of the ball — also something I was looking for.”

247Sports rated Sieg as a four-star prospect and ranked him 11th nationally among senior safeties. He ranked No. 104 overall among recruits in the 2026 class.

Sieg wasn’t the only four-star recruit to flip from Penn State to West Virginia. Harrisburg offensive lineman Kevin Brown (6-5, 280) also signed Wednesday after switching his commitment last month.

Four-star recruits Vincent Smith (cornerback) and Amari Latimer (running back) also were among 45 players the Mountaineers signed on the first day of the early signing period, earning the class a No. 28 national ranking by 247Sports.

Sieg said he saw West Virginia under coach Rich Rodriguez as “a place I can get developed and have good relationships with the coaches and staff.”

At Fort Cherry, Sieg won two WPIAL titles as a quarterback and safety while also setting league records. A dual-threat QB, he broke WPIAL career marks for total offense (12,592 yards) and touchdown (139).

As a senior, Sieg rolled up 2,259 all-purpose yards and scored 30 times. Defensively, he made 40 tackles and intercepted four passes, including two returned for touchdowns.

He said West Virginia’s willingness to let him keep playing both ways was key in his decision making.

“I’m going to start off at safety but once I master that and get a good feel in the system, they’re going to use me on offense as well,” Sieg said. “Playing both ways has always been a dream of mine. I feel that having the ball in my hands is a big part of my game, too, and I can do something special with that.”

One day after Franklin was fired, Sieg announced on social media that West Virginia had re-offered him a scholarship. He’d first received an offer from the Mountaineers more than two years ago under then-coach Neal Brown.

Sieg’s decision ultimately came down to the wire. Virginia Tech recently joined his list after Franklin was hired there, and Pitt also remained a top option.

“It’s been a crazy last couple of days, last 24 hours,” Sieg said. “As I really thought about things, it’s a great opportunity being close (at West Virginia). There’s a lot of excitement. They’re building something really special down there, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Fort Cherry safety Matt Sieg flips his college commitment from Penn State to West Virginia #WPIAL pic.twitter.com/Gq690Eadow

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) December 3, 2025

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: Fort Cherry