George Mason University men’s basketball head coach Tony Skinn announced Thursday that Louis Hinnant has joined his staff as an assistant coach.
A former standout player at Boston College, Hinnant is a program-builder who has spent the last nine seasons on the coaching staff at UMass-Lowell. He most recently served as associate head coach in 2022-23.
“I’ve always respected Lou,” Skinn said. “Whenever I see him on the road and at the gym, he’s locked in and efficient. I’ve always admired that. To win like they did at UMass-Lowell, you know he’s been in the weeds finding under-recruited guys and really good players. He’s also from the DMV, and he can help bolster our efforts in recruiting in our area. He’s well respected and was a high-level player at Boston College.”
Hinnant and the River Hawks put together their best season to date in 2022-23. UMass-Lowell set new Div. I program bests for wins (26) and win percentage (.765) while recording the first 20-win Div. I season in team history. That included a program-best 11 America East victories and a berth in the conference championship game. The River Hawks tallied a perfect 17-0 mark at Tsongas Arena.
“I am extremely excited for the opportunity to join Coach Skinn, the George Mason Family and the highly-competitive Atlantic 10 Conference,” Hinnant said. “I also want to thank Pat Duquette for allowing me to serve on his staff at UMass-Lowell for nine amazing years. The DMV is a special place, rich in basketball culture and an area that I’ve been lucky enough to call home. Mason Nation, let’s go!”
He has worked on the UMass-Lowell staff since 2014-15, when he joined the River Hawk program as director of basketball operations. He earned a promotion to assistant coach the following season in 2015-16 then moved up to associate head coach in 2020-21.
A four-year team member at Boston College, Hinnant started 122 of 126 games played, averaging 29.2 minutes, 5.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He netted a career-high 20 points in the 2006 ACC Tournament championship game against Duke prior to earning All-Tournament Second Team honors.
The point guard played professionally for teams based in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Finland and Sweden from 2006-14. In 2010, Hinnant helped lead his Hungarian Basketball League squad to a 24-0 start, in addition to regular-season and tournament championships. That season, he was selected to the All-Hungarian League First Team and the All-Import First Team, as well as being named Guard of the Year and a League All-Star.
Hinnant also experienced a championship-winning season with his team out of Weissenfels, Germany in 2012.
A native of Oxon Hill, Maryland, Hinnant graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications from BC in May 2006.
“Lou’s a good person who cares about his players on and off the court,” Skinn added. “It’s not just about the wins and losses – it’s about mentorship and helping them navigate through situations we faced when we were student-athletes. He has a good feel for that.”
Hinnant joins George Mason Basketball staff
Photo Courtesy George Mason Athletics
