The Hillsdale men’s basketball team hired two new assistant coaches this summer.
Braeden Proctor and Jackson McLaughlin will assist head coach Keven Bradley with recruiting, scouting and all aspects of the program, according to John Tharp, athletic director and former head coach for the men’s basketball team.
“They will be a great addition to the program,” Tharp said. “I believe they will be terrific role models for our young men.”
The Chargers finished last season 20-10 overall, making it their fourth 20-win season in the past five years. They were knocked out of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament against Malone University in the semifinal round. Proctor and McLaughlin join the coaching staff, replacing Evan Morrissey, who stepped down after two years with the Chargers.
Proctor began coaching in 2019 at Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas, which ranks among the top prep basketball schools in the country.
“Sunrise developed many Division I and professional talents,” Proctor said. “I coached at Sunrise from 2019-2023, and during that time we had four of the best seasons in school history, qualifying for the GEICO and Chipotle High School Nationals all four years.”
Proctor most recently served as assistant coach at IMG Academy in Florida, where he helped lead the team to the Prep National Championship and sent six players to Division I schools across the country.
Tharp said Proctor’s extensive experience, especially with evaluating and recruiting talent, stood out during the hiring process.
McLaughlin began his basketball career at the University of Iowa in 2020, where he served as the student manager for the team. The team qualified for the NCAA tournament three of his four years there and won the 2022 Big Ten men’s basketball tournament championship.
McLaughlin said that his time as student manager helped show him what college sports should look like.
“I was very blessed to be a part of a team and culture that stands for all the right things in college athletics,” McLaughlin said. “The head coach emphasized relationships and always doing things right, which is rare in today’s college athletics landscape.”
After graduating in 2024, McLaughlin worked as a graduate assistant coach for Augustana University in South Dakota. During his time on staff, the team won three games against opponents ranked in the top 25 Division II teams and qualified for their conference’s tournament.
Tharp said McLaughlin’s background and energy stood out during the hiring process.
“Coach McLaughlin is a young man who has served college athletes at the highest level. He has a work ethic second to none,” Tharp said.
Last season, the Chargers went 13-7 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Both assistant coaches said they are excited to contribute to the program.
“Whether it’s something on the court or off the court, I want to be a guy that can be trusted and relied upon by everyone and can truly help impact the program and college in a positive way,” Proctor said.
According to Tharp, the athletic department searches for people whose qualifications go beyond the court.
“We always look for people who understand the mission of athletics at Hillsdale College,” Tharp said. “We want people of high character who will be relentless workers to make Hillsdale athletics great. They must be role models for our student-athletes.”
McLaughlin said this mission is part of what drew him to Hillsdale.
“This school is a special place that stands for all the right things when it comes to developing student-athletes,” McLaughlin said. “Growing the hearts and minds of individuals is emphasized here, which is important to me as I believe college athletics should enable these things as we hope to continue to grow as young men, fathers, and husbands as Christ calls us to do.”
