FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason University men's basketball head coach Dave Paulsen announced Thursday that Pete Hutchins will join his staff as an assistant coach.
 
Hutchins brings a diverse background of experience to the Patriot program which includes assistant coach tenures at the NCAA Div. I and Div. III levels, as well as nearly a decade as a prep school head coach. He is known throughout the coaching ranks for expertise in the areas of recruiting and player development, and previously served as an assistant coach under Paulsen at Williams College in 2006-07.
 
"I am so excited to work with Pete again," Paulsen said. "It has been fun to watch him grow as a teacher, coach and recruiter.  He did a fantastic job as the head coach at New Hampton and made an immediate impact at Dartmouth.  He has a unique blend of head coaching experience, player development expertise, and recruiting contacts and relationships which span the globe. He will immediately form great relationships with our current student-athletes, help them improve on the court and enhance our ability to recruit the next generation of Patriots. I can't wait to start working with him."
 
Hutchins comes to Fairfax after a three-year stint at Dartmouth College, where he worked as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach. This past season, Hutchins helped guide Dartmouth to a KenPom team ranking that was 79 spots higher than 2017-18 while mentoring second-team All-Ivy League selection Chris Knight.
 
Prior to his tenure at Dartmouth, Hutchins served as the head coach at his alma mater, the New Hampton School (N.H.), for nine seasons. In 2015-16, he was named the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) AAA Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to a 21-8 record, and twice he led New Hampton to the NEPSAC AAA Championship game (2011 and 2014).
 
While at the New Hampton School, three of his players were selected in the NBA Draft — Noah Vonleh (Indiana University, ninth overall in 2014), Tyler Lydon (Syracuse University, 24th overall in 2017) and Olivier Hanlan (Boston College, 42nd overall in 2015).
 
Vonleh was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2014 at Indiana, while Hanlan earned ACC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ACC accolades during his time at BC. Lydon garnered All-ACC and All-District merit while at Syracuse and helped lead the Orange to the Final Four as a freshman in 2016.
 
In addition, Hutchins produced future Notre Dame All-ACC forward Zach Auguste, who helped lead the Fighting Irish to two Elite Eights, four NCAA Tournament appearances and the 2015 ACC Tournament title.
 
Former Hutchins player at New Hampton Elijah Bryant went on to earn CAA Rookie of the Year honors at Elon in 2015 and garnered All-WCC First Team accolades in 2018 after transferring to BYU. Hutchins also coached Will Ryman, who went on to be named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year at Colgate in 2017 before leading the Red Raiders to the 2019 NCAA Tournament while earning All-Patriot League Second Team honors.
 
During his time at New Hampton, Hutchins also mentored players who went on to play for Gonzaga, Kansas and a number of other elite college basketball institutions.
 
"I want to thank Coach Paulsen, Brad Edwards and the entire George Mason community for the opportunity to be a part of the Patriot men's basketball program," Hutchins said. "I can't express enough thanks to Coach McLaughlin for all I learned from him during my time at Dartmouth. I'm looking forward to building on what Coach Paulsen has already established in Fairfax. Dave has always won and done things the right way. I believe I can help him build something special here and I'm excited to get to work."
 
With Paulsen and Hutchins together at Williams in 2006-07, the Ephs won the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Championship, and the players Hutchins helped recruit for the class of 2011 eventually played in consecutive Division III Final Fours and a national championship game.
 
After studying for one year at the University of New Hampshire, Hutchins completed his bachelor of arts in history at Plymouth State in 2005. A team captain during his senior season, he also helped the Panthers to a school-best 24-6 record and the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament as a junior.
 
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT PETE HUTCHINS
 
Mike Hopkins – Head Coach, University of Washington
"Coach Paulsen has made a great hire. I've known Pete for a long time, both as a head coach and assistant. He has great communication skills, is an outstanding teacher of the game and outworks the competition to get things done. What I've admired most about Coach Hutchins is the relationships he builds with players. His work has always been bigger than basketball, and that's what truly makes him different in this profession."
 
Archie Miller – Head Coach, Indiana University
"Pete is an awesome addition to the Mason Family.  He's a high character, hard-working and extremely loyal individual. He's going to add a lot of value in all areas, but what will matter most is his devotion to the comprehensive way a staff develops the players within a program. Players always respond to the coach who cares the most, and no one works harder in that area than Pete."
 
Tyler Lydon – Forward, Denver Nuggets
Drafted by the Utah Jazz in the first round (24th overall) of the 2017 NBA Draft
"Coach Pete has been the biggest reason why I'm in the NBA. Without his hard work and dedication to not only myself but to countless other guys, we wouldn't be in the positions we are. I've never seen a coach who truly cares about his players the way he does, on and off the floor. He does whatever it takes to help his guys get better, whether that's academically, socially, or as a player. His work ethic is unlike anyone I've ever been around. From waking up at 5 am to work guys out, to staying late at night to get shots up, there's no question he's always the hardest worker in the room. He's not only a great addition to the George Mason coaching staff, but he's a great addition to the university and will be someone who has a positive impact in that community for years and years to come."
 
Olivier Hanlan – Guard, Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany)
Drafted by the Utah Jazz in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2015 NBA Draft
"Coach Hutchins is a true gym rat and stand-up guy who teaches the game the right way and genuinely cares about the players he works with. From the 6 am workouts, to watching NBA games at his place until curfew or even just talking to us about school or life, he was always there for me and my teammates. I was really lucky to have Hutch as my coach. He took a chance on me when a lot of people were not willing to; he always kept me focused on the player I was capable of becoming through the ups and the downs. Additionally, I doubt I would have been able to have the type of year I did as a freshman in the ACC without the two years I had under his tutelage. The Mason program is lucky to have Coach Hutch!"
 
David McLaughlin – Head Coach, Dartmouth College
"Pete is an incredibly talented coach, and even better person. He is intrinsically motivated, a relationship builder, and a terrific teacher of the game. He will help to bring in top quality student-athletes through his drive and creativity in the recruiting process.  Coach Paulsen and George Mason are getting one of the top guys around."
 
Jason Smith – Head Coach, Brewster Academy (N.H.)
"Coach Hutchins is a tremendous hire for Coach Paulsen. I've known Coach Hutchins for 25+ years. I had an opportunity to coach against him during his time as a prep coach. His teams were always well-prepared, organized, and consistently improved as the season progressed to be in position to compete for a championship.  He's a rising star in the coaching profession and someone who does an excellent job building relationships with players, as well as the local community.  His ability to connect with and develop players is outstanding."