Hardin-Simmons University named Matt Brackett, who played four years for the Cowboys, as its new head men's basketball coach.
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The University announced the hire on Thursday.
"I am so excited to come back and serve the institution that has given me so much," said Brackett in the University's release. "Ever since I came here as a player I fell in love with HSU. It is a place that changes lives and I am a perfect example of that. I am honored and blessed to be the men's basketball coach."
Brackett played four seasons with the Cowboys from 2004 through 2007. He was a three-year starter and two-year captain for Hardin-Simmons. After spending a season as a student assistant and earning his Bachelor's degree in Education and spending a season as a student, Brackett worked his way through the high school ranks in Texas.
He was an assistant girls coach at North Crowley High School for two seasons in Fort Worth, Texas. He then spent four seasons as an assistant at Lake Ridge High School in Mansfield, Texas and one season as the head coach at Cleveland (Texas) High School where he went 20-14, a nine-game improvement on the team's performance the prior season.
Brackett replaces Craig Carse who retired from coaching at the end of last season. Carse coached 40 years, including 26 as a college head coach with stops at Division II programs West Virginia State and Montana State Billings. Carse went 152-96 in nine seasons at Hardin-Simmons and led the Cowboys to the NCAA Tournament sectional semifinals last season. Carse went 442-286 overall as a college coach.