Notre Dame men’s basketball announces Hamlet Tibbs as assistant coach
Mike Brey’s staff for his 23rd year as Notre Dame men’s basketball head coach is officially complete. The Irish announced Tuesday the hiring of Albany assistant Hamlet Tibbs to the same position, finalizing a choice Brey made nearly a month ago.
“I’m looking forward to working with all of the players and becoming a part of the community,” Tibbs said in a university release. “This is truly an honor for my wife and I. We are excited to call South Bend our new home. I’m ready to work.”
Tibbs spent one season at Albany, which followed seven years on Vermont’s staff. In that span, the Catamounts were four-time America East Conference regular-season champions and made three NCAA tournament appearances. In 2016-17, they went 16-0 in conference games and set a program record with 29 wins.
PROMOTION: Sign up for just $1 for your first year at Blue & Gold
Before Vermont hired him, Tibbs was a high school assistant coach at The Albany Academy (N.Y.) from 2009-14. He also was the head coach of the junior varsity team and a history teacher at the school. Elsewhere during that time, Tibbs served as a volunteer assistant coach of the Albany City Rocks AAU program, which plays on the Nike EYBL circuit.
Tibbs was a student manager at West Virginia and graduated from there in 2007. He is a native of Troy, New York.
“Thrilled to have Hamlet Tibbs joining us,” Brey said in a statement. “Tibbs is one of the true bright ones in our business who has paid his dues and proven himself.”
News of Tibbs’ expected hiring was first reported by ESPN July 25. That was weeks earlier than Brey’s previously stated hope of having someone in place by Labor Day. He said he was willing to consider up-and-comers for the position after hiring associate head coach Anthony Solomon last year for a third stint on staff. Brey also hired former Notre Dame guard Antoni Wyche, previously an assistant at Lehigh (2009-19) and Siena (2019-21).
“A year ago, we came back with experience with [Solomon and Wyche],” Brey said in July. “You can maybe come back a little younger. That has been on my mind.”
Tibbs replaces Ryan Humphrey, the former Irish forward who left to become an assistant at Oklahoma June 29 after six seasons at Notre Dame. He’s the second new staff member this summer, joining former Northwestern guard Ryan Greer, who was hired as player development and recruiting coordinator in July.
Notre Dame players began fall semester classes Tuesday. The Irish will start preseason practice in early October and open the season Nov. 10 against Radford.
