Matt Graves, who has served for the past two years on the staff at Division I Mount Saint Mary’s University, has been named as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Clark University. Graves’ appointment was announced by Cougar Head Coach Tyler Simms.
Graves brings a wealth of experience to his new position in Worcester, as he first served as Mount Saint Mary’s Director of Basketball Operations before being promoted to assistant coach prior to the start of last season by Head Coach Dan Engelstad. While at the Emmittsburg, Md. School, Graves helped The Mount post its fist winning campaign in three years last winter that culminated with the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance since 2017 after a road victory over top-seeded Bryant University in the Northeast Conference title contest.
A former standout during his playing days at Division II Belmont Abbey College, Graves was a four-year letterwinner and served as the Crusaders’ team captain during his senior season of 2011-12. Matt returned to his alma mater in 2013 and served as an assistant coach for six years under two different mentors, as he was the program’s lead recruiter and helped oversee all aspects on both on-floor coaching, preparation and administration.
“We are extremely excited to have Matt join our program,” Simms said. “He deeply cares about the student-athlete experience, brings a championship pedigree coming from Division I Mount St. Mary’s, and someone who has a wide array of recruiting contacts from up and down the east coast and his professional playing experience overseas. He has a proven ability to mentor student-athletes and will undoubtedly add a great deal to our Clark community.”
Graves, who received a bachelor’s degree in business management from Belmont Abbey in 2012, also earned his MBA from the University of Ulster in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2013. He captained Ulster’s Elks basketball squad during the 2012-13 season. Matt, who has gained additional experience as an assistant coach at McDaniel College, will begin his new duties at Clark immediately.
https://www.clarkathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2020-21/releases/Graves_Appointment_Release
