Columbia University has appointed alumnus Nate Hickman as the Director of Strategy for its men’s basketball program. The announcement was made by head coach Kevin Hovde.
“I feel extremely grateful to be back at Columbia University,” Hickman said. “I’m excited to join Coach Hovde’s staff and get to work. I look forward to helping our student-athletes on and off the court so they get the most out of the Columbia experience.”
Hickman played in 104 games for Columbia from 2014 to 2018, starting in 54 of them and scoring a total of 700 points during his college career. He was part of the team that won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship in the 2015-16 season with a record of 25-10 (10-4). In 2016, he received the Walter H. Bernson Award, which recognizes team spirit, hustle, and determination. Hovde had recruited Hickman as a player during his previous time as an assistant coach at Columbia.
“I’m very excited to bring Nate back to Columbia and have him join our staff,” Hovde said. “Nate is a proud Columbia alum who has a great basketball mind. He will represent our program very well and be a great mentor to our student-athletes.”
After graduating from Columbia, Hickman played professional basketball from 2018 through 2020. His career included stints in the NBA G League with teams such as Long Island Nets, Delaware Bluecoats, and Westchester Knicks, as well as playing for Pioneros De Los Mochis in Mexico’s CIBACOPA League.
Between 2020 and 2025, Hickman worked in South Korea as a personal skills trainer for Jameel Warney and served as an assistant coach with the Seoul SK Knights. During this period, the Knights secured four championships under their coaching staff, while four different players earned six MVP awards.
For more updates on Columbia men’s basketball, information is available via @CULionsMBB on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, or at GoColumbiaLions.com.
