Cody Hatt has been promoted to Assistant Basketball Coach at The University of Texas, UT head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday. The 34-year-old Hatt served as Director of Men’s Basketball Operations at Texas for the previous four seasons and worked as a special assistant during his first year at UT in 2015-16.
“Our whole program is excited about Cody assuming the role of full-time assistant coach,” Smart said. “He’s been a tireless worker over the past six years who’s brought tremendous energy and built a terrific rapport with our players and staff.”
During Hatt’s first five seasons alongside Smart on the Texas staff, the Longhorns have compiled a 90-78 (.536) mark and advanced to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2016 and 2018) while also winning the 2019 NIT Championship. UT registered a 19-12 record and tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference (9-9 mark) during the 2019-20 season. Texas was the No. 4 seed in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship, but the league’s postseason tourney and all postseason college basketball was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to his duties as Director of Operations, Hatt spent time during both Spring 2018 and 2019 on the road in a recruiting capacity and assisting with on-court workouts while the UT staff had an assistant coach vacancy. He again served in that role this past spring and summer after Luke Yaklich left for the head coaching position at Illinois-Chicago in late March 2020.
Since his arrival at Texas, Hatt has had a presence in organizing on-campus recruiting efforts while also overseeing all facets of the program on an administrative and logistical side on a daily basis. Over the past two years, he also has run point with Coach Smart on UT’s non-conference schedule.
During the summer of 2016, Hatt served on the support staff for the USA Under 18 National Team led by head coach Shaka Smart. The team, which featured notable players Jarrett Allen, Mohamed Bamba, Matt Coleman III, Markelle Fultz, Michael Porter Jr., P.J. Washington and Trae Young, posted a 5-0 mark and earned a gold medal at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Valdivia, Chile.
“I’m really excited and grateful for the opportunity,” Hatt said. “Coach Smart has always emphasized the importance of building meaningful relationships with our players, within the school community and in recruiting. I look forward to continuing to do everything possible to help this program build towards championship-level success.”
Hatt served as a graduate assistant at VCU under Smart during the 2014-15 season. Prior to his time at VCU, he served as head boys’ basketball coach, assistant dean of students and academic advisor for one year (2013-14) at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vt. Hatt also spent one season (2012-13) as the assistant boys’ basketball coach at Vermont Academy.
He began his undergraduate career with a one-year stay at Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.) in 2004-05, when he was a member of the 2005 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship team and claimed All-Academic GNAC honors. Hatt transferred to Norwich University (Northfield, Vt.) for his final three years (2005-08). A three-year varsity player under coach Paul Booth, Hatt was named the Norwich Male Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior in 2007-08.
Hatt earned his bachelor’s degree magna cum laude in communications with a concentration in digital media technology from Norwich University in 2008. He received his Master of Education degree in sport leadership from VCU in 2015.
A native of Springfield, Vt., Hatt was a four-year varsity starter at Springfield High School. He was a two-time all-state selection and two-time captain who scored over 1,000 career points.
Hatt (born Dec. 6, 1985) and his wife, Lisa, have one daughter, Lyla.
https://texassports.com/news/2020/9/23/cody-hatt-promoted-to-mens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx
