NMSU men’s basketball adds Nick Matson to coaching staff
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - NM State Head Coach Jason Hooten has added a new face to the Aggie coaching staff, welcoming Nick Matson as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Matson arrives in Las Cruces after two seasons at Texas, where he helped guide the Longhorns to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances under Head Coach Rodney Terry.
During the 2023-24 campaign, Texas reached the Round of 32 and ranked among the nation's elite in both offensive and defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. While in Austin, Matson worked closely with All-Conference players Tre Johnson, Max Abmas, and Dylan Disu.
Before joining the Longhorns, Matson served as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator at East Carolina, where he helped lead the Pirates to a 16-win season—the program's highest win total in nearly a decade.
Matson also brings valuable familiarity with both the Borderland region and Conference USA, having spent three seasons at UTEP from 2018 to 2021. During the 2019–20 campaign, he played a key role in one of the program's most significant turnarounds, helping the Miners post a 17-15 record—an improvement of nine wins from the previous season.
He was also instrumental in the recruitment and development of All-Conference standouts Bryson Williams, Souley Boum, and Efe Odigie.
Matson's coaching journey also includes seven seasons at Fresno State, where he helped lead the Bulldogs to four 20-win campaigns and three postseason appearances, including the 2016 NCAA Tournament. His player development track record during that span includes working with future NBA players Tyler Johnson and Paul Watson.
He began his career with stints at Murray State and Stanford after playing two seasons at VMI, where he helped them to a 24-win season and a memorable victory over Kentucky at Rupp Arena. Matson holds a degree in psychology from VMI and is joined in Las Cruces by his wife, Jessica.
QUOTABLE | Head Coach Jason Hooten
"We are thrilled to welcome Nick to our staff! I've known Nick for nearly 15 years, and over much of that time, he's worked alongside one of my closest friends in the business, Rodney Terry. Nick will be an outstanding fit — both personally for me and for our entire staff and program. Nick is a relentless worker, someone I'd describe as a true grinder and a Swiss Army knife in this profession. He brings passion, versatility, and a deep commitment to our student-athletes, always focused on doing everything possible to help them and our program improve every single day. Let's give Nick and his wife, Jessica, a warm Aggie welcome!".
