Garrett Hicks — Student Assistant Coach / Developmental Team Head Coach
Garrett Hicks enters his second season with the Bethel University men’s basketball program in 2026–27, serving as a student assistant coach and head coach of the Wildcats’ developmental team. His six years of coaching experience include scouting, player development, recruiting support, video analysis, scheduling and basketball operations.
Hicks began coaching at age 14 as a volunteer with YMCA youth basketball programs before establishing a travel basketball program in Southeast Missouri. He also serves as assistant to the director of the Rib City Shootouts, working alongside mentor Chad Allen, a head coach with more than 300 career victories. In that role, Hicks assists with tournament scheduling and daily operations for the summer basketball tournament series.
A member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), Rising Coaches and USA Basketball, Hicks continues to advance his coaching education through camps, clinics and professional development opportunities. He has worked the Jay Bilas Skills Camp, learning from accomplished basketball figures including Jay Wright, Phil Martelli, Jay Bilas, John Shulman and ESPN national recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi. He has also worked the Three Rivers Basketball Camp and began assisting with game-day operations for the Three Rivers
College men’s basketball program at age 16 under head coach Brian Bess and assistant coach Trey Rakes.
At the high school level, Hicks served as director of scouting at Dexter High School and assisted with daily basketball operations at Risco High School while playing under head coach Brandon Blankenship, who has recorded more than 300 career victories. During Hicks’ involvement with the programs, both schools won district championships and advanced to the Missouri state playoffs. He has also supported several Southeast Missouri basketball programs through scouting reports, opponent preparation and game-day operations.
Hicks brings additional experience in sports media, having spent several years with Aycorp Sports. He covered more than 400 high school basketball games and contributed to the platform’s growth to more than 12 million views. His responsibilities included game analysis, statistics, livestream production and regional high school sports coverage.
In addition to coaching, Hicks is a basketball and baseball official certified by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) and the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA).
A graduate of Risco High School, Hicks is pursuing a degree in physical education at Bethel. In his free time, he enjoys connecting with fellow coaches, watching baseball and returning to his hometown of Risco, Missouri.
