Story Courtesy Quinnipiac Athletics
Quinnipiac Men’s Basketball Head Coach Tom Pecora has officially announced the hiring of former Bobcat standout Matt Balanc (’24) as the program’s Director of Player Development, as well Matt Houde and AJ Morales as graduate assistants
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Matt back to our program in this new role,” said Quinnipiac Head Coach Tom Pecora. “Matt has already proven what elite dedication and a relentless work ethic look like at this level. He knows what it takes to win, he knows our league inside and out, and his passion for Quinnipiac University is contagious. Our guys are going to benefit tremendously from his energy and leadership every single day.”
Balanc returns to Hamden following an illustrious five-year playing career with the Bobcats from 2019 to 2024. A staple of the program’s success, Balanc scored 1,721 career points across his tenure, averaging 12.0 points per game.
During a historic 2023-24 graduate season, Balanc was crowned Conference Player of the Year after averaging 17.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6% from the field. His breakout season was instrumental in leading Quinnipiac to its first-ever Metro Conference regular season title, as the Bobcats went 15-5 in league action to set a new program record for league wins in a single season.
Balanc reached double figures in scoring in all but one game during his final season in 2023-24, pouring in 20 or more points on 13 separate occasions. He was particularly lethal on his home court, averaging 19.9 points per contest at M&T Bank Arena to guide Quinnipiac to an impressive 13-3 home record.
Balanc ranks No. 8 on Quinnipiac’s all-time scoring list over the program’s 75-year history. He also finished his career No. 2 in games played (144) and in 3-point field goals (239).
In his new position, Balanc will oversee key aspects of student-athlete growth both on and off the court, and will also assist in many day-to-day tasks within the program’s operations.
The Bobcats are also excited to welcome Matt Houde and AJ Morales to the staff as graduate assistants. Both Morales and Houde will join Quinnipiac for the 2026-27 season, primarily handling film, team logistics, and player development.
Houde previously served as a head coach with The Court, coaching their 17U team while competing in tournaments along the east coast and sending players to play collegiate basketball. He graduated from East Catholic High School before finishing his high school career as a post graduate at St. Thomas More, where he played under the decorated Jere Quinn.
Houde played collegiately at Saint Michael’s College and Western New England University, helping Western New England capture the program’s first Commonwealth Coast Conference championship and advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2025. The following season, Houde served as a team captain and helped lead the Golden Bears back to the conference championship.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Western New England in 2026 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Applied AI and Business Analytics at Quinnipiac University.
Morales previously served as an AAU Coach and Director for Lightning Basketball over the past five seasons. A native of Hopewell Junction, he attended Kennedy Catholic in Somers, NY, where he helped lead the basketball team to two CHSAA Class A championships. He then completed his high school career at Millbrook Prep, graduating in 2019 after finishing with nearly 1,600 points.
Morales has vast collegiate experience spanning Division II and Division III, with coaching stops at Roger Williams, Mercy College, and SUNY Cortland. From 2024 to 2026, he served as the Head Assistant Coach at SUNY Purchase, where he led a team ranked top 18 in defensive efficiency to back-to-back playoff runs.
