Just after a pair of changes with his assistant coaching personnel this offseason, Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery has officially loaded out his coaching team with the addition of previous Drake assistant Matt Gatens.
Let us take a look at 5 matters enthusiasts should really know about Gatens getting into his stint as one of Iowa’s new assistant coaches.
Matt Gatens comes to Iowa from the Drake Bulldogs
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Gatens arrives in Iowa Town just after a 4-12 months stint with the Drake Bulldogs. In his very first two seasons in Des Moines, Iowa, Gatens served as the Bulldogs’ director of functions. Soon after a profitable two-yr run as the director or operations, Gatens was elevated to one of the Bulldogs’ assistant coaches for the past two decades.
He served guideline the Bulldogs to four consecutive 20-get seasons and 95 put together wins, the 2019 Missouri Valley Meeting typical year crown, a 2021 NCAA Tournament visual appeal and to a pair of Missouri Valley Tournament championship game titles.
Ahead of that, Gatens was on the basketball staff members at Auburn in which he assisted in journey, development, scouting, online video and camps. He aided guide the development of the team’s guards, a checklist that included All-SEC options Bryce Brown and Jared Harper.
Gatens is a former Hawkeye
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Chances are Hawkeye followers currently know this. But, for people that do not, Gatens was a four-yr starter for Iowa from 2009-12 and he performed on Fran McCaffery’s very first two teams in Iowa City.
In Gatens’ past 12 months on campus, the Hawkeyes liked a 7-acquire enhancement from the previous season and manufactured the postseason for the very first time in 6 seasons and the initially time underneath McCaffery. Individuals 2011-12 Hawkeyes advanced to the next round of the NIT.
For the duration of his vocation, the Iowa Town native was a two-time All-Massive 10 collection, averaging 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals for every contes. Gatens tallied 1,635 points and manufactured 239 3-pointers in 128 career online games.
Gatens performed abroad in advance of his coaching vocation
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It is of be aware that Gatens performed professionally abroad in France, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. Later on, he returned to the United States to engage in for the Iowa Strength in the NBA Improvement League, but he experienced a torn ACL just 5 quarters into the 2016-17 season, ending his actively playing occupation.
It suggests that the previous ‘Mr. Basketball’ in the condition of Iowa is familiar with what qualified basketball appears to be like and that is no throwaway piece in recruiting.
Gatens joins Courtney Eldridge as Iowa’s 2nd new assistant this offseason
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Gatens fills the vacated assistant coaching location remaining from longtime assistant Kirk Speraw. The Hawkeyes actually saw Billy Taylor depart to grow to be the new head men’s basketball mentor at Elon University this offseason as very well.
Enter Courtney Eldridge.
Eldridge has been on the Hawkeyes’ team the earlier 6 seasons, serving as the program’s movie coordinator from 2017-19 and director of recruiting and participant development the previous 3 several years.
“I have experienced a marriage with Courtney for a extensive time,” McCaffery mentioned in a statement on April 25. “He performed for me at UNCG, has been on my staff, and has a good romance with our players. He is a tireless worker, who has huge character and knowledge that will advantage our plan.”
Quoting Fran McCaffery on the selecting of Gatens
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The natural way, McCaffery is psyched to bring a Hawkeye back into the plan in this capacity.
“We are enthusiastic to have Matt Gatens rejoin our system as an assistant coach. Matt was a respected chief on my initial two groups as Iowa’s head coach. I could explain to right absent that he exhibited all the needed attributes to be a productive coach. Considering that transitioning to the coaching occupation, Matt has received useful expertise operating on the staffs at Auburn and Drake. He will have an instant affect on our system,” McCaffery explained.
It’s no shock both that Gatens fired up to return to the software where it all commenced for him.
“I am thrilled and truly honored to be rejoining the Iowa men’s basketball method. I have an amazing quantity of regard for what coach McCaffery, his staff members and players have developed in Iowa Metropolis. It is a privilege to now work for my previous coach and someone who I have seemed up to because he started out listed here 12 many years in the past. I’m wanting ahead to symbolizing Hawkeye Country and competing for championships in a put that I simply call residence. I just cannot wait around to proudly don the black and gold after once more,” Gatens claimed.
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