Coach Hamilton is entering his fifth year at Graceland University and fourth as Head Men's Basketball Coach for the Yellowjackets. During his third season at the helm Coach Hamilton propelled the Jackets to a 14-17 (9-11 HAAC) record and t-5th place finish in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. Both the 14 wins as well as fifth place finish in conference ranks as one of the best seasons in over a decade at Graceland. Coach Hamilton as only improved this program since the day he took over, each season the Jackets have increased its overall and conference record as well as conference finish; Graceland is the only men's basketball team in the HAAC to accomplish such feet during Hamilton's tenure. With an exciting recruiting class and the return of a strong nucleus Hamilton is expecting great things from the 2011-2012 Men's Basketball team and expects the program to take another step forward.
Experience
Coach Hamilton began his coaching career at Campbellsville University, where he was a Graduate Assistant Men's Basketball Coach/Head Junior Varsity Coach. During his two year stint at Campbellsville the Tigers compiled an overall record of 54-13. During the 2005-2006 season the Tigers captured its first ever Mid-South Conference Championship and advanced to the second round of post-season play. The following year Campbellsville again advanced to the second round at the national tournament. After Campbellsville, Hamilton was named Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at Graceland University. However this role was short lived as he was announced head coach in the summer of 2008.
Honors
During his time at Graceland, Hamilton has produced three second team, one third team and one honorable mention all-conference players and has had seven Academic All-Americans. During his tenure the basketball program has had an excellent graduation rate and is coming of a team GPA of 3.3 during the spring 2011 semester. In Hamilton's two years at CU, he helped develop two conference POY's, both of which were named second-team All-Americans, as well as four other all-conference members.
Hamilton played four seasons at Florida Atlantic University and was a part of FAU's first ever NCAA tournament berth in 2002. Coach Hamilton graduated from Humble (TX) High School in 2000, where he was a two-time first team all-district member along with two years of honorable mention all-state honors.
Education
Hamilton earned his bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from Florida Atlantic University in 2004 and his masters in Psychology/Sociology at Campbellsville University in 2007.
Personal
Jeffrey and his wife Brittany reside in Lamoni and are the proud parents of two boys; Carter (3) and Cole (2).
Bradley Matney is in his fifth year of coaching men's basketball at Graceland University and begins his first as the Associate Head Coach for the Yellowjackets.
Experience
Since 2007, Coach Matney has helped administrate all areas of the Yellow Jacket program at both the Varsity and JV levels and operates as the programs Director of Recruiting. In that time the Yellowjackets have improved their number of wins in each season and also improved their standing within the always nationally powerful Heart of America Conference.
Coach Matney came to the Yellowjacket family from the Kansas City high school basketball scene where he helped develop two of the most respected basketball programs in the Kansas City area. Coach Matney was on staff at Wyandotte High School from 1996 - 2004 helping in all facets of the program from player personal development to being an assistant varsity and JV coach. The program Coach Matney helped build had won many conference, districts, and even a state championship in 1998. In 2004, Coach Matney was hired as coach of Southwest Charter High School where he helped in starting a basketball program at a school that did not previously have a team. That team went on to finish with a winning record and the winning tradition continued the following seasons with third and second place finishes in district play. Coach Matney's basketball know how comes from his father, Mark Matney, and his mentor Wayne VanDine, both of whom have been tremendously successful at the High School level winning numerous conference, district, sectional and state titles.
Coach Matney also serves as Head Boy's Baseball Coach at Murray High School in Murray, Iowa during the basketball off season.
Honors
In his four years at Graceland, Coach Matney has been instrumental in player development by coaching and recruiting all conference performers Jake Smith (10-11), Brad Burgus (10-11), Jewel Carter (08-09 & 09-10), and Mike Malat (07-08).
In his eight years at Wyandotte and two years at Southwest, Coach Matney helped develop numerous all conference, all metro and all state caliber collegiate basketball players that went on to play at many top level division one NCAA schools like Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Illinois State.
Coach Matney played his collegiate basketball from 1994-1996 at Penn Valley in Kansas City, Mo. and Benedictine College in Atchison, KS. Coach Matney graduated from Liberty Senior High School in 1994, where he was a first team all conference, first team all district, first team all KC metro, and second team all state member. Coach Matney was also a first team all conference, first team all district, first team all KC Metro, and first team all state as a pitcher in baseball for the Blue Jays.
Education
Coach Matney earned his degree in Electrical Science and Mechanical Technology from Kansas City Business and Technical College in 2000 and his master Electrical Journeyman certificate from GMI in 2001.
Personal
Bradley Matney was born August 18, 1975 in Mount Ayr, Iowa. His parents are Mark and Sue Matney of Liberty, Mo. He and his wife of fifteen years, Marisa, reside on their farm outside Lamoni, IA with their five children Ashley 16, Wyatt 14, Drake 8, Isaac 5 and Georgia 3. Marisa is a homemaker who runs her own successful daycare business out of the couple's home.
Jake Smith joins the coaching staff after spending two years as an all-conference player and captain for Coach Hamilton and the Yellowjackets.
Experience
Coach Smith begins his coaching career this season with the Jackets as a student assistant. He hales from Mount Vernon, Indiana where he graduated high school from and was a standout player for his dad, Brian. He then spent two years at Ancilla College in Donaldson, Indiana before transferring to Graceland for his junior year.
Education
Smith will graduate this spring with a major in Physical Education and a minor in coaching. Coach Smith will also earn his teaching endorsement this spring.
Personal
Jake is the son of Brian and Marcia Smith and he has two brothers, Chase and Michael.
Coach Smith is entering his second year at Graceland University as Head Men's JV Basketball Coach for the Yellowjackets. Last season Coach Smith led the JV Jackets to a 11-11 record (7-1 HAAC) and a conference championship to finish the year. After a strong finish last season, Coach Smith expects this years team to be better and continue to move forward.
Experience
Coach Smith began his coaching career at Ridgeway High School (Ridgeway, MO), where he was the head jr. high boys and girls/varsity coach. During his stint at Ridgeway the Owls compiled a record of 13-6 (jr. highs) and 10-5 (varsity). The varsity also were co-conference champions for the 2006-2007 season. After Ridgeway, Smith was an assistant for Men's basketball at Graceland and the following year moved on to Central Decatur where he was head jr. high girls coach (9-2 overall) for the 2008-2009 season and assistant boys coach/head jv coach (11-19 overall) for the 2009-2010 season.
Honors
At Ridgeway, Smith produced 2 all-conference players and 1 honorable mention.
Coach Smith played 4 seasons at Graceland University where he was an all-conference player in the 2005-2006 season. Smith graduated from Midland Lee High School (TX) in 2001 where he was a two-time all district team member and numerous tournament mvp honors.
Education
Smith earned his bachelor's degree in Physical Education/Health K-12 and Special Education 5-12 in 2006 from Graceland. He will complete his master's degree in Instructional Leadership at Graceland University this spring.
Personal
Coach Smith and his wife Tiffany reside in Lamoni and are the proud parents of their daughter Jacinda, son Josiah and dog Duce.
Dwayne Melton returns for his third year with the Yellowjackets following a successful 2010-2011 campaign on both the varsity and JV fronts.
Experience
Coach Melton began his coaching experience with the Yellowjackets in 2009 as a student assistant. Melton played four years of varsity football and two years of basketball at Graceland before becoming a coach. Melton graduated from Thornton Township High School (IL) in 2006 where he was a three sport athlete playing football, basketball and baseball. Coach Melton received all conference honors in football and was ranked a two star athlete by rivals.com.
Education
Melton earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a minor in Sociology this past May. In January of 2012 Melton will pursue a master's degree in social work.
Personal
Dwayne Jamel Melton-Bray Jr. is the son of Dwayne Sr. and Bonnie Melton and brother to Quincy, Nicholas, Natasha, Latrice and Margie.
