North Texas Daily

Coming off back-to-back, 25-win seasons at the College of Charleston, Matt Braeuer will join the North Texas men’s basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach this year.

Under Braeuer, the Cougars participated in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999.

“Any time you’re around a winning culture, it starts from top to bottom,” Braeuer said. “The nice thing is I don’t have to come in here and be anything different. They won last season, and there’s nothing special but being in the gym, working hard and preaching team.”

Braeuer had several other coaching stints before Charleston, including the 2010-11 season where Braeuer coached under now-associate head coach Ross Hodge. Braeuer then found himself at the University of Maryland — home of the most inspiring portion of Braeuer’s journey to North Texas.

Braeuer worked beneath Mark Turgeon at Maryland as a video coordinator where he assisted with preparing for games and reviewing film. He then proceeded to coach at Sam Houston State from 2013-2016. In his tenure at Sam Houston, Braeuer led the team to back-to-back appearances in the Southland Tournament championship games.

“It’s pretty motivating — it just shows what you can do when you work hard,” junior guard Abdul Mohamed said. “He started off as a video coordinator and now he’s coaching at a university. I’m really happy for him.” 

North Texas’ new assistant men’s basketball coach Matt Braeuer groups around the Mean Green to go over plays. Sarah Shaw

Braeuer has traveled a route from Division II and Division III schools to a video coordinator to now earning a coaching position at North Texas where he can compete at a Division I level.

“You can definitely use [his story] as motivation,” junior guard Ryan Woolridge said. “You see guys trying to make it all the time — trying to make a living for themselves and better themselves. It just gives you that little bit of hope.”

Braeuer said this is arguably one of the biggest opportunities in his career and will allow him to display his abilities as a coach on a much larger stage than his previous stints.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Braeuer said. “Texas is where I’m from, [so] I’m closer to family. There’s a lot of factors that excite me about the opportunity I have here. I’m excited about the opportunity to compete in a really good conference and just to help these guys get better every day.”

Braeuer graduated from Belton High School in Belton, Texas, where he was named to first team all-state, all-region ,and he also received MVP honors from District 13-5A.

The brand-new North Texas coach also has experience as a college player: He was a three-year starting point guard for Wichita State University, and while there, his team reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament and earned a top-10 national rank. His collegiate experience should help assist the team and players are already ecstatic about his arrival at North Texas.

Assistant coach Matt Braeuer watches the Mean Green practice on Tuesday. Sarah Shaw

“For us winning the CBI and then bringing in a coach who has won is going to help us see what it takes,” Woolridge said. “This can actually happen.”

Braeuer is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work and learn with McCasland and the rest of the coaching the staff for the Mean Green.

“[McCasland] is a great teacher of the game, and he’s well respected,” Braeuer said. “I respect him not only as a teacher of the game but as a person, so I’m excited to be here.”

Braeuer’s dream has always been to be a head coach, and as he joins the North Texas staff as an assistant coach, he makes significant steps to achieving his dream.

“I knew from the time that I was 6 or 7 years old that I wanted to be a coach, and that’s never changed,” Braeuer said. “Going through all the stops, you learn so much, and I’m just going try to take as much as I can that I’ve learned and put it all out on the floor.”

Featured Image: North Texas men’s basketball new assistant coach Matt Braeuer coaches at practice on Tuesday. Sarah Shaw