Matt Gatens rejoined the Auburn men’s basketball in June 2025 and enters his second season as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season.
In his first season back on the Plains, Gatens helped Auburn win the 10th most games in program history (22) en route to capturing the school’s first NIT championship title.
The Tigers notched some of the nation’s top wins including on the road at Florida, at home against Arkansas and Kentucky, and neutral a neutral site win over St. John’s. Overall, Auburn defeated seven NCAA Tournament teams last season. The Tigers’ offense ranked 11th nationally and scored the second most points in school history (3,154).
Gatens was on Auburn’s staff during the 2017-18 season and returned to the Plains after spending four seasons at Drake University and three seasons at his alma mater of Iowa.
Gatens served as a graduate assistant at Auburn where he helped in travel, development, scouting, video and camps for the Southeastern Conference champions. Gatens also aided in the development of the team’s guards, including All-SEC selections Bryce Brown and Jared Harper.
Following his one season at Auburn, Gatens spent four seasons (2019-22) on the coaching staff at Drake University. He served as director of operations his first two years before being elevated to an assistant coach the last two seasons.
He helped guide the Bulldogs to four straight 20-win seasons (95 combined wins), the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference regular season title, an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021, and to two Missouri Valley Tournament championship game appearances.
The 10th leading scorer in Iowa basketball history (1,635), Gatens retuned to Iowa for three seasons (2023-25) and assisted the Hawkeyes in all aspects of the program, including recruiting, opponent scouting, practices, player development and game preparation.
In three seasons on staff, Gatens helped the Hawkeyes to 55 victories and two postseason appearances (1 NCAA, 1 NIT). He coached one All-American, a Big Ten Freshman of the Year (current Auburn Tiger Owen Freeman), a Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year and 11 All-Big Ten honorees.
During the 2023-24 season, Iowa won 19 games, including 10 in Big Ten play, to finish in a tie for sixth in the league standings. Five players earned All-Big Ten honors with Tony Perkins earning second team honors and Payton Sandfort being a third-team honoree. Owen Freeman became the second Hawkeye all-time (and first in 30 years) to be named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
In his first season back on campus, the Hawkeyes won 19 games, tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings, qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The team led the conference in scoring and posted three wins over AP Top 25 opponents.
Gatens coached five players to postseason recognition in 2023. Kris Murray was a consensus third-team All-American, first-team All-Big Ten, semifinalist for the Wooden and Naismith awards and finalist for the Karl Malone Award before being a 2023 first-round pick of the Portland Trailblazers with the 23rd overall selection. Filip Rebraca was a third-team all-Big Ten honoree, while Sandfort was voted the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Connor McCaffery and Perkins were honorable mention all-conference.
A four-year starter for the Hawkeyes, Gatens was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, two-time team captain, two-time Academic All-Big Ten, recipient of the 2012 Chris Street Award and was a member of the 2009 Big Ten All-Freshman team. He amassed 1,635 points and 239 3-pointers, ranking 10th and third, respectively, in Iowa history. In 128 career games, he averaged 12.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per contest.
Following his Hawkeye career, Gatens played professionally in France, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine. He returned to the United States to play for the Iowa Energy in the NBA Development League, but he suffered a torn ACL just five quarters into the 2016-17 season, ending his playing career.
Gatens was named Iowa’s “Mr. Basketball” and the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Iowa City High School. He led his squad to a 4A state title as a senior in 2008 and holds the City High record for career scoring.
Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, he graduated from Iowa in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and later completed his master’s degree coursework in adult education from Auburn in 2018.
Gatens and his wife Erin have three children – son, Nash, and daughters, Noa and Vayda.