On Friday, March 24, 2023, former NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia announced the hiring of Jason Hooten as the 28th head coach in Aggie men’s basketball history. Hooten arrived in Las Cruces with more than 30 years of coaching experience, including an impressive 13 years of experience as a head coach.
Hooten embarked on one of the most unique challenges throughout college basketball in the 2023-24 season. NM State was the only team in Division I that returned zero points, rebounds, or assists. With 15 newcomers to Las Cruces, only Tarleton, Hooten’s alma mater, had more new faces around the gym.
In his first year at helm, Hooten led the Aggies to a win over I-10 rival UTEP, a 23-point second half comeback to defeat the future CUSA Tournament Champions Western Kentucky and a 12-3 record inside of the Pan American Center. The Aggies also ranked first in all CUSA programs in average home game attendance, totaling 5,638 fans per contest.
In his second season leading the Crimson & White, he led NM State to a 17-15 record, improving by four wins from his first year while tying for the second-best road conference record in CUSA at 6-3. He guided the Aggies to signature road wins, including a sold-out overtime thriller over I-25 rival New Mexico - who went on to win the Mountain West and reach the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32 - and a historic victory at I-10 rival UTEP, marking NM State’s largest win in El Paso since 1937 and the third-largest home loss in UTEP history. Under his leadership, the Aggies became one of the nation’s top defensive teams, ranking sixth in three-point percentage defense (29.1%), 11th in field goal percentage defense (39.6%), and 32nd in scoring defense (65.9 ppg).
In 13 seasons as the head coach at Sam Houston State University, Hooten displayed a track record of success as he compiled 261 wins, posted a .607 win percentage and helped the Bearkats to six postseason appearances, including a win in the first round of the 2023 NIT. Hooten's ability to build a winning program guided him to become the Bearkats' winningest coach in program history. Hooten and his staff helped lead the SHSU program to six 20-plus win seasons, including four in the last six seasons.
In 2023, Hooten led the Bearkats to a pr
ogram-tying record of 26 wins en route to earning the No. 1 seed in the 2023 WAC Tournament. On the heels of one of Sam Houston State University's best seasons in program history, Hooten was named one of 20 finalists for the Hugh Durham Award, which is presented to the top Division I mid-major coach in the country. Hooten also appeared on the list of 25 finalists for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award – an award honoring success on the court while also displaying moral integrity off the court.
Under Hooten, the Bearkat program produced 36 all-conference honorees, including 2023 WAC Player of the Year Qua Grant who was one of four conference players of the year to take the court for Hooten. The Killeen, Texas, native also coached nine first team all-conference selections, four all-defensive team members and one Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Hooten's defensive philosophies helped build the program into one of the stingiest defenses in the country this season as the Bearkats held teams to just 59.3 points per game to rank fourth in the country and first in the conference. SHSU opponents also combined to shoot just 39.1% from the field in 2022-23 – a mark that was good for fifth in the nation and tops in the WAC.
Hooten's Bearkat teams also gave NM State fits during their two-year stint as conference foes. Sam Houston knocked off the Aggies twice in two meetings, including handing NM State a 25-point loss to end a 10-game winning streak during the 2021-22 season. The 2022-23 season was also highlighted by a pair of wins over Power Five programs as they defeated both Oklahoma and Utah during non-conference play.
Prior to being appointed the head coach at Sam Houston, Hooten served as an assistant on the Bearkats' staff from 2004 to 2010 and was a member of the coaching staff during one of two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history when SHSU reached the Big Dance in 2010. In five seasons as an assistant with Sam Houston, the Bearkats reached 20 wins four times and posted an overall record of 127-59. In 2009, RecruitingRumors.com named Hooten as one of the top 100 NCAA assistant coaches while CollegeInsider.com named him to the Mid-Major Top 25 assistant coaches honorable mention list.
Ahead of his time with Sam Houston, Hooten appeared on Lonn Reisman's staff at Tarleton from 1993 to 2004. While coaching with his alma mater, Hooten helped the Texans construct a combined record of 204-111. Hooten's stint at Tarleton blossomed from his time as a student-athlete at TSU where he played for two seasons under Reisman (1989-91). As a guard, Hooten helped lead the Texans to a record of 52-10 while leading Tarleton in assists with 123 in 1990-91.
Hooten received his undergraduate degree from Tarleton State University in 1993 before earning his master's from Tarleton in 1995. He is married to Kristen Hooten and the two have a daughter, Jadyn, and a son, Jayce.
| HOOTEN FILE |
| COACHING EXPERIENCE |
| Years |
Title |
School |
| 2023-Current |
Head Coach |
NM State |
| 2010-23 |
Head Coach |
Sam Houston |
| 2005-10 |
Assistant Coach |
Sam Houston |
| 1993-2004 |
Assistant Coach |
Tarleton |
| 1991-93 |
Assistant Coach |
Weatherford College |
| OVERALL HEAD COACHING RECORD |
| Years |
School |
Record |
Conference Record |
| 2023-Current |
NM State |
13-19 (.406) |
7-9 (.438) |
| 2010-23 |
Sam Houston |
261-169 (.607) |
154-70 (.692) |
| YEAR-BY-YEAR HEAD COACHING RECORD |
| Years |
School |
Record |
Conference Record |
Postseason |
| 2023-Current |
NM State |
13-19 |
7-9 (C-USA) |
|
| 2023-24 |
NM State |
13-19 |
7-9 (C-USA) |
--- |
| 2022-23 |
Sam Houston |
26-8 |
14-4 (WAC) |
NIT (Second Round) |
| 2021-22 |
Sam Houston |
19-14 |
13-5 (WAC) |
|
| 2020-21 |
Sam Houston |
19-9 |
13-3 (SLC) |
|
| 2019-20 |
Sam Houston |
18-13 |
11-9 (SLC) |
|
| 2018-19 |
Sam Houston |
21-12 |
16-2 (SLC) |
NIT (First Round) |
| 2017-18 |
Sam Houston |
21-13 |
12-4 (SLC) |
CIT (Semifinals) |
| 2016-17 |
Sam Houston |
21-12 |
10-7 (SLC) |
|
| 2015-16 |
Sam Houston |
18-14 |
12-4 (SLC) |
CIT (First Round) |
| 2014-15 |
Sam Houston |
26-6 |
15-1 (SLC) |
CIT (Second Round) |
| 2013-14 |
Sam Houston |
24-11 |
13-5 (SLC) |
CIT (Second Round) |
| 2012-13 |
Sam Houston |
17-16 |
8-10 (SLC) |
|
| 2011-12 |
Sam Houston |
13-19 |
7-9 (SLC) |
|
| 2010-11 |
Sam Houston |
18-13 |
10-6 (SLC) |
|
| 13 Years |
Sam Houston |
261-169 |
154-70 |
--- |
| PLAYING EXPERIENCE |
| Years |
School |
| 1990-91 |
Tarleton |
| 1988-89 |
McLennan CC |
