Former UMD forward Matt Hockett returned to his alma mater in August 2015 to join the Bulldog staff as an assistant coach.
Hockett came to Duluth with a wealth of coaching experience at a variety of levels, spending the previous six seasons as the head varsity boys basketball coach (and physical education teacher) at Stoughton High School in Wisconsin. During Hockett's tenure, the Vikings won four-straight Badger Conference championships and in 2013 secured the school's first trip to Wisconsin state tournament since 1939.
Already in his three seasons on the UMD bench, Hockett as molded Pierre Newton, Taylor Lavery and junior Brandon Myer into all-conference selections. Newton became the seventh Bulldog to be bestowed as a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region honoree in 2016. Later, Newton and Lavery would turn to the professional circuit and play overseas.
A native of McFarland, Wis., Hockett spent five seasons as a player in the Bulldog program (he was redshirted as a first-year freshman) and co-captained UMD during his farewell year (2006-07). Twice voted the team's most improved player, Hockett received both the North Central Conference Honor Athlete Award and the E.L. "Duce" Rasmussen Award (UMD's Top Male Scholar-Athlete) in 2006-07. He also served on the Bulldogs Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for five years and in 2005 represented UMD at the NCAA Leadership Academy in Boston, Mass.
Following his collegiate career, Hockett participated in a two-month (May-June 2007) professional mission trip with Athletes in Action, spending time in east Asia.
Hockett, who has also coached high school boys and girls tennis and football, earned a B.A.S degree in physical and health education from UMD in 2007 and received a Master's degree in education in 2018. He and wife, Ann, who is an instructor in UMD's Applied Health and Science department have two children -- Braxton (3) and Braelynn (born this past August) -- and reside in Duluth.
Â
