I mentioned this move in the DAILY DIRT back on June 9th. It’s now official…Octavius Hinnant has been hired as an assistant basketball coach at UMass Lowell. Here’s the release from UML:
UMass Lowell Men’s Basketball Head Coach Pat Duquette has announced the addition of Octavius Hinnant as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season. Hinnant, who has over 15 years of coaching experience across the high school, AAU and collegiate levels, joins the River Hawks after spending two seasons as the varsity assistant coach, head recruiting coordinator and social media director at Bishop O’Connell High School in Virginia.
“I am excited to announce the hiring of Octavious ‘Lucky’ Hinnant,” said Head Coach Pat Duquette. “I’ve known Lucky since he was 10 years old. He has great energy and basketball IQ along with the highest character. He will be a great addition to our staff to help relate to and develop our players, both on and off the court.”
While at Bishop O’Connell, Hinnant helped lead the team to a 46-19 record, secure back-to-back Beach Ball Classic Championships, and finish as the runners-up in the state championship in both 2024 and 2025. Not only did the team reach new levels of success while he was there, but he also coached McDonald’s All-American Bryson Tucker. Alongside his coaching duties, Hinnant was also in charge of managing the team’s travel logistics and social media outreach.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join the UMass Lowell Men’s Basketball staff,” commented Hinnant. “This program has a strong reputation for excellence, both on and off the court, and I’m thrilled to contribute to its continued growth and success. I look forward to working alongside Coach Pat Duquette and the rest of the staff as we support and develop our student-athletes. Thank you to the UMass Lowell community for the warm welcome. I’m proud to be a River Hawk.”
Prior to his time at Bishop O’Connell, Hinnant served as the associate head coach for Team Takeover AAU for one season, where he focused on player development and strategic game analysis, while also contributing to team strategies and improving player performance. At the same time, he also served as a coach at La Plata High School for five seasons, starting as the junior varsity coach before advancing to the boys’ varsity head coach position. Hinnant brought the team to new heights right away at La Plata, setting the school record for most wins in a single season in his first year. The accomplishments did not stop there, though, as he later led the varsity team to a 16-win season, while also coaching a Buffalo Wild Wings All-Star Game nominee and All-Conference player.
Also making a two-year stop as the head coach of Bump N Run AAU in Washington, D.C., Hinnant started his coaching career out at Glenville State College in West Virginia, where he served as a graduate assistant coach after finishing up two seasons as a player. While at Glenville State, Hinnant earned his bachelor’s in business management in 2022.