MILWAUKEE, Wis. — When sophomore transfer guard Jayden Hackett arrived at MATC, he carried more than a jump shot and a 6‑foot‑6 frame built for creating mismatches. He carried a promise he made in the hardest moment of his life — a commitment shaped in the wake of his mother's sudden passing at 15, at the same time he was switching high schools from Pulaski to Bay Port. In the grief that followed, he vowed to honor her by giving everything he had to basketball, chasing every opportunity, and becoming the best version of himself she always believed he could be.

That promise continues to unfold on the national stage this spring.

Fresh off earning 2025–26 NJCAA Division II First Team All‑America honors and being named the 2026 Region 4 Midwest District A Player of the Year, Hackett added another milestone Thursday morning with his selection to the 2026 NJCAA Men's Basketball All‑Star Weekend in Las Vegas. The event, scheduled for May 8–9, will bring together 26 of the nation's top NJCAA student‑athletes for a two‑day celebration highlighted by the Hall of Fame Banquet and the All‑Star Game at the Cox Pavilion.

Hackett becomes only the third player in program history to earn an All‑Star selection. His name joins Mason Johnson (2023) and Shelton Williams‑Dryden (2024), both members of MATC's 2023 national championship team, on the program's steadily expanding list of national honorees.

MATC head coach Randy Casey said Hackett's rise reflects the work he brings every day.

"Jayden has an amazing work ethic, and it continues to show with honors like this," Casey said. "From the moment he stepped on campus, and even before that, he showed how much he loves the game and how dedicated he is to it. I'm proud of everything he's accomplished here and excited to support him in whatever comes next."

Hackett's resume this season makes his continued national recognition easy to understand.

The Green Bay native delivered one of the most complete and efficient campaigns in all of NJCAA Division II. He averaged 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 52.2 percent from the field, 44.3 percent from three and 81.5 percent at the line. Furthermore, his 109 made three‑pointers ranked tied for fourth nationally. He also logged 998 minutes and started all 36 games for a Stormers team that finished 31–5, won the Midwest District A championship and advanced to the Elite Eight at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.

His consistency throughout the season made him one of the toughest perimeter matchups in the country. He scored in double figures 32 times, including 14 games with 20 or more points, and routinely drew the focus of opposing scouting reports.

For Hackett, the All‑Star selection represents more than another line on his postseason resume. It stands as another affirmation of the work that shaped his rise.

"The part that feels closest to being fulfilled is just putting myself in a position where I'm living out what I promised to her – playing at a high level, being recognized and making something out of the opportunity I was given from God," Hackett said. "But what still drives me every day is knowing that the job isn't finished. The promise wasn't just about getting here. It was about becoming the best version of myself and making sure everything I do represents her the right way."

Earlier this year, when he was named a First Team All‑American, Hackett reflected on the journey that brought him here. He spoke about the loss of his mother, the years of being overlooked and the belief that he could grow into something more. "This isn't just an award," he said then. "It's proof that my past never defined me."

As he prepares for the All‑Star stage, Hackett sees the moment as another step toward honoring that promise.

"I want that moment when I step onto the court to say that I earned everything," Hackett said. "Going from overlooked to this stage just shows what trusting in God, the work and staying consistent can do. When I step on that floor in Las Vegas, I want people to see someone who grew through everything, stayed true to himself and turned doubt into fuel."

Las Vegas now becomes the next stage for that proof.

Hackett will be honored Friday, May 8, at the NJCAA Men's Basketball Hall of Fame Banquet, where the 2026 All‑Stars and Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized together. On Saturday, May 9, he will take the floor at the Cox Pavilion for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff, representing MATC among the nation's elite. The game will be streamed live on YouTube. 

For more information leading up to the game, visit www.jcbca.com.

For the Stormers, his selection marks another milestone for a program that continues to establish itself as one of the most consistent in the country. For Hackett, it becomes another chapter in a story built on resilience, work ethic and a promise he refuses to break.