IOWA Town, Iowa — College of Iowa head basketball coach Fran McCaffery has named former Hawkeye, Matt Gatens, as an assistant mentor on his personnel, changing the placement formerly occupied by Kirk Speraw, who announced his retirement from coaching last month.
“We are thrilled to have Matt Gatens rejoin our plan as an assistant coach,” said McCaffery. “Matt was a respected chief on my 1st two teams as Iowa’s head coach. I could tell ideal absent that he exhibited all the required attributes to be a profitable coach. Considering that transitioning to the coaching profession, Matt has gained useful expertise doing work on the staffs at Auburn and Drake. He will have an rapid affect on our system.”
“I am thrilled and definitely honored to be rejoining the Iowa men’s basketball application,” Gatens reported. “I have an unbelievable quantity of respect for what coach McCaffery, his staff members and players have built in Iowa City. It’s a privilege to now function for my former mentor and somebody who I have looked up to given that he started out right here 12 many years in the past. I’m on the lookout ahead to representing Hawkeye Country and competing for championships in a area that I simply call house. I simply cannot hold out to proudly have on the Black and Gold when once more.”
Gatens was a four-calendar year starter for the Hawkeyes from 2009-12. His closing two seasons ended up McCaffery’s initial two as Iowa’s head mentor. As a senior, Gatens and the Hawkeyes won seven extra game titles than the previous year and highly developed to postseason enjoy (NIT Next Round) for the to start with time beneath McCaffery and the initially time as a system in six seasons.
The Iowa City native was a two-time All-Huge 10 variety, two-time workforce captain, two-time educational all-convention honoree, recipient of the 2012 Chris Road Award, and voted to the 2009 Significant Ten All-Freshman staff. Gatens amassed 1,635 details and 239 3-ideas rating 10th and 3rd, respectively, in Iowa background. In 128 profession video games, he averaged 12.8 factors, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 helps and 1.1 steals for every contest.
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Gatens returns house as an assistant coach soon after investing the earlier 4 seasons (2019-22) on Drake’s coaching workers. He served as director of functions his initially two yrs right before staying elevated to an assistant coach the last two seasons.
Gatens served manual Drake to four straight 20-acquire seasons (95 blended wins), the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference common season title, an NCAA Tournament visual appearance in 2021, and to two Missouri Valley Match championship video game appearances.
Prior to signing up for the Bulldogs, Gatens was on the basketball team at Auburn, where by he assisted in travel, advancement, scouting, video clip and camps for the Southeastern Meeting Champions. Gatens also aided in the development of the team’s guards, like All-SEC picks Bryce Brown and Jared Harper.
Following his Hawkeye occupation, Gatens played professionally in France, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. He returned to the United States to enjoy for the Iowa Strength in the NBA Advancement League, but he experienced a torn ACL just five quarters into the 2016-17 season, ending his taking part in vocation.
Gatens was named Iowa’s ‘Mr. Basketball’ and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Calendar year as a senior at Iowa Metropolis Substantial College. He led his squad to a 4A condition title as a senior in 2008 and retains the Metropolis Higher record for profession scoring.
Gatens and his spouse, Erin, are the mothers and fathers of a son, Nash, and daughter, Noa.
