2009 (Junior): Appeared in 55 games for the Hilltoppers as a junior in 2009, making 53 starts… Led the team with five triples on the year, and his 49 runs scored was tied for fifth… Answered the call when the team needed to move a runner over, laying down a team-high eight sacrifice bunts… Made just six errors in 269 chances at second base… Recorded back-to-back three-hit performances in the final two games of the ULM series on March 7 and 8… Had a season-high five hits in six at bats against South Alabama on March 15… Fell just a home run short of the cycle in that game, recording two doubles and a triple to go along with two singles … Also drove in and scored three runs, as well as stole a base in the contest … Hit .272 (6-for-22) in the NCAA Tournament with six runs scored… Named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First-Team after the season.

2008 (Sophomore): Earned CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second-Team honors... Improved his batting average 76 points from his freshman season, hitting .274 with nine doubles, two triples, and three home runs for the Toppers... Tied for third on the team with 11 stolen bases... Scored 45 runs and drove in 31 more... Posted 15 multi-hit games and six multiple RBI performances... Made 53 of his 57 starts in the middle infield for WKU... Had a career-night against Youngstown State on March 29 going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs scored and five RBI... Two weeks later, went 3-for-3 again, this time against Evansville on April 15... In helping the Toppers to the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship, Payton was 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored in the finals victory over New Orleans on May 25.

2007 (Freshman): Started 44 games during his rookie season at second base... Collected 32 hits while driving in 20 runs and scoring 23 times... Recorded seven multi-hit games... Drove in a pair of runs in a win over Xavier... Hit .205 in Sun Belt Conference games and posted a .993 fielding percentage against the league... Played summer ball for the Peninsula Pilots in the Coastal Plain League.

Male High School: Started four years at Male High School, earning all-metro, all-district and all-state honors during his career... Finished his senior year with a .380 batting average and 35 stolen bases... Also registered a career fielding percentage of .920... Member of the 2006 Kentucky Senior All-Star West team... Lettered four years in football, earning all-state laurels as a senior.

Personal: Matt Payton is the son of Ray and Sue Payton... He is majoring in Exercise Science.