Sixth-year head men’s basketball coach John Gallagher and the University of Hartford men’s basketball team have announced changes to the Hawks’ coaching staff for the upcoming 2015-16 season. Tom Devitt, previously the director of basketball operations, has been named an assistant coach. Former Hawk standout Jaret von Rosenberg will join the staff as an assistant and Matt Mihalich will make his Hartford debut as the director of operations.

Devitt has served as the Hawks’ director of basketball operations for the last two seasons. Prior to arriving at Hartford, he was the head coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology for 11 years, where he twice named the CCC Coach of the Year. During his stint at Wentworth, he brought the squad to eight consecutive CCC Tournament appearances and amassed a program-best 139 wins, including 66 over his final four seasons.

Devitt gained NCAA Division I men’s basketball experience early in his career as he started out as an undergraduate student assistant for the Boston College men’s hoops team. Upon graduation, he stayed with the team for four more years after being hired as the Eagles’ director of basketball operations. Following his stint at Boston College, Devitt returned to his hometown of Washington, D.C., where he took on his first assistant coaching job with the men’s basketball team at American University.

“Tom obviously brings a ton of experience, having been the head coach at Wentworth for 11 years,” Gallagher exclaimed. “He has a great wealth of knowledge, and we are incredibly excited for Tom to begin as an assistant.”

A 2009 graduate of the University of Hartford, von Rosenberg has been in the college coaching scene for five seasons as he has previously served as assistant coaches at Collin College, Abilene Christian, and most recently, Texas A&M-Commerce. Following a two-year stint at Collin College, he served as an assistant coach at Abilene Christian for two seasons before spending the 2014-15 campaign at A&M-Commerce.

Von Rosenberg’s three-year playing career at Hartford, which spanned from 2006-09, was highlighted by an America East All-Conference Third Team honor at the conclusion of his senior season as well as a pair of America East All-Academic Team nods. A 1,000-point scorer (1,021 points), his name is peppered throughout the Hawks’ Division I record books as owns the program record in free throw percentage (.831). He also ranks in the top-10 in made free throws, assists, and steals. Prior to Hartford, von Rosenberg played one season at Collin College, where he averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Von Rosenberg’s return to Hartford also serves as a reunion between the guard and Gallagher. During von Rosenberg’s first two seasons with the Hawks, Gallagher served as the team’s associate head coach.

“Jaret brings an unbelievable amount of energy, and he really understands what Hartford basketball is all about,” commented Gallagher. “He has built an incredible network of coaches in Texas, which is an area that we want to continue to be successful in.”

Mihalich was hired by Gallagher after spending the previous season with the George Mason University men’s basketball team as a volunteer assistant coach. Prior to landing at George Mason, he was an assistant coach at Bishop O’Connell High School for four seasons. In addition to guiding the team to a combined 83-47 overall record during that stretch, five student-athletes took their game to the Division I level under Mihalich’s watch, including one McDonald’s High School All-American.

Mihalich was a two-sport athlete at John Carroll University where he graduated in 2010. A member of both the men’s basketball team as well as the track and field team, he went on to earn his Master of Education from Marymount University in 2014.

“We are really excited about Matt joining the Hartford basketball program,” Gallagher said. “Basketball is in his genes, as his father is the head coach at Hofstra. Having known Matt for a long time, I know of his great passion and loyalty. In a short period of time, he has brought a great sense of urgency to our program.”

http://www.hartfordhawks.com/news/2015/6/23/MBB_0623155736.aspx