Story Courtesy: Stephen Gorchov, Hofstra Athletics
Hofstra University Head Men’s Basketball Coach Speedy Claxton announced today the hiring of former Pride captain Nelson Boachie-Yiadom (pronounced BWATCH-ee YAD-um) as an assistant coach.
Boachie-Yiadom returns to Hempstead after spending the past three seasons on the coaching staff at the Asheville School in North Carolina, where he served as the varsity associate head coach and junior varsity head coach.
“We’re excited to welcome Nelson back to Hofstra,” said Claxton. “He understands what it means to wear the Pride uniform, and he’s already proven himself as a coach. His leadership, basketball IQ, and ability to connect with players will make him a tremendous addition to our staff.”
“I want to thank Coach Claxton and the rest of the staff for welcoming me back to the Pride!” said Boachie-Yiadom. “It is a privilege to be at Hofstra. The opportunity to help our student-athletes as well as compete for championships is truly a blessing!”
During his time at the Asheville School, Boachie-Yiadom helped engineer a significant turnaround for the program, as the team improved from a 9-15 record in his first season to 15-8 in year two.
As the varsity associate head coach, Boachie-Yiadom played an integral role in all aspects of the program, including opponent scouting, film breakdown, player development, practice planning, game management, and recruiting preparation. He oversaw opponent scouting reports, organized position-specific skill development workouts, conducted individual film sessions with players, managed in-game substitutions, and helped implement offensive concepts while preparing defensive scouting reports throughout the season.
Boachie-Yiadom enjoyed a five-year collegiate playing career between Hofstra and Davidson. He spent the 2022-23 season with the Pride, serving as team captain while helping Hofstra capture the Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship with a 25-10 record. The Pride advanced to the second round of the National Invitation Tournament after defeating Rutgers in the opening round, while Boachie-Yiadom anchored one of the conference’s top defensive units and ranked third in the CAA in blocked shots at 1.7 per game.
Before arriving at Hofstra, Boachie-Yiadom played four successful seasons at Davidson College. He was named a team captain during his senior campaign and helped the Wildcats capture the Atlantic 10 regular season championship and earn an NCAA Tournament berth in 2021-22. Davidson also made NIT appearances during his career in 2019 and 2021.
A native of London, England, Boachie-Yiadom represented Great Britain and England at the international level from 2013-18. He captained both the Great Britain Under-18 team, which earned promotion to Division A of the FIBA European Championships, and the England Under-16 squad at the Division A European Championships. He was also selected to Basketball Without Borders Europe and the Jordan Brand Classic Europe Top 40 Camp.
Boachie-Yiadom earned a Master of Arts in Sustainability from Hofstra in 2023 after earning his Bachelor of Arts in History from Davidson in 2022.
