Rose Fills Out Staff with Lewis & Hobson

Titans open the 2026-27 season Nov. 14

8/28/2026 12:15:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Illinois Wesleyan University head men's basketball coach Ron Rose completed his coaching staff for the 2026-27 season with the addition of Matt Lewis and Jack Hobson as assistant coaches.

"I feel very fortunate and am incredibly excited to welcome both Matt Lewis and Jack Hobson to our program," Rose shared. "Adding two coaches of their caliber and background is a huge win for both our program and our student-athletes. I look forward to Matt and Jack bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that will help move our program forward. Our players will benefit immensely from their daily energy, passion for the game, and mentorship. They are both proven winners whose values perfectly align with our program's culture. I am grateful to work alongside them as we continue to compete for championships on the court and build champions off of it."

Lewis comes to Illinois Wesleyan following an eight-year run as head coach at UW-Oshkosh, where he compiled a 141-62 record. Under Lewis' direction the UWO made four trips to the NCAA Division III Championship, won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season title three times, and secured two league postseason championships. In 2019, in Lewis' first year as head coach, UW-Oshkosh won the NCAA Division III Championship.

As a head coach, Lewis has helped nine players achieve a total of 16 All-WIAC First Team honors. During Lewis' seven-year tenure, five Titans garnered a total of 12 All-Region accolades and four players have received a total of 10 All-America honors. In 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023, a Titan was selected as the WIAC Player of the Year and a National Association of Basketball Coaches First Team All-American.

Lewis began his coaching career as an assistant men's basketball coach at Rhodes College (Tenn.) in 2010. He also had coaching internships with Cornell College (Iowa) and NCAA Division I Tulane University, where he was the director of basketball operations from 2010-12.

Lewis, a forward on the Cornell College basketball team from 2005-10, was an Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team selection in 2010. He received Cornell College's 2010 Sportsman of the Year award after averaging 13.5 points and 6.7 rebounds. In 2009, Lewis helped the Rams to a 21-7 record and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

A Southeastern High School (Augusta, Ill.) graduate, Lewis earned his bachelor's degree (2010) in economics and business from Cornell College and his master's (2013) in business administration from Bethel University (Tenn.).

Hobson comes to IWU by way of Butler University, where he earned a degree in entrepreneurship and innovation. The Morton, Ill. native served as a team manager for the NCAA Division I Bulldogs from 2021 until his graduation in 2024. In that role, he assisted with recruiting visits, managed equipment, helped with player development workouts, scouting for recruiting, and film breakdown. Upon returning to central Illinois, Hobson stepped in as an assistant coach on the East Peoria Community High School boy's basketball staff, serving as offensive coordinator for the 2025-26 season.

Illinois Wesleyan begins the season as host to the Sikma Hall of Fame Invitational Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 14-15. IWU will play Yeshiva University Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m., while Benedictine University (Ill.) and Trinity University (Texas) will spar in the tournament's opening game at 6 p.m.

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