MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee Area Technical College is proud to announce sophomore guard
Jayden Hackett has been named to the 2025–26 NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball All‑America First Team, becoming only the second player in program history to earn First Team honors.
"We are very proud of Jayden's selection as a First Team All‑American," MATC head coach and athletic director
Randy Casey said. "This honor is a recognition of all his hard work and the hours he puts in the gym to continue getting better."
Hackett joins elite company at MATC, becoming only the second player in program history to earn First Team All‑America honors. The only other Stormer to reach that level is Shelton Williams‑Dryden, one of the cornerstones of MATC's 2023 national championship team.
The NJCAA All‑America teams are selected and voted on by the NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Committee. Hackett was one of just 10 players nationwide selected to the First Team and one of only 40 players across the country to earn All‑America recognition overall.
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here to see the full NJCAA DII All‑American List.
Hackett's selection caps a breakout sophomore campaign in which the Green Bay native emerged as one of the most efficient and prolific perimeter scorers in the country. The 6‑foot‑6 guard averaged 17.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.2% from the field, 44.3% from three, and 81.5% at the line. He started all 36 games and logged 998 minutes, ranking first in Region 4 in both games played and games started.
Hackett's perimeter shooting placed him among the nation's elite. His 109 made three‑pointers ranked tied for fourth nationally in NJCAA Division II and second in Region 4, while his 44.3% three‑point percentage ranked sixth in the region. He finished the season with 621 total points (4th in Region 4) and 17.3 points per game (12th in Region 4).
A model of consistency, Hackett scored in double figures in 32 of 36 games and delivered 14 performances with 20 or more points, including numerous stretches where he carried the Stormers offensively. His scoring efficiency and volume made him one of the most difficult matchups in the Midwest District.
"I first want to thank God for guiding me and giving me the strength to keep pushing, and my teammates and coaches for believing in me and pushing me every single day," Hackett said. "When my mom passed away, I promised her I would give my everything to basketball — to leave it all on the court, chase every opportunity, and never let anything hold me back. That promise has driven me every step of this journey.
Being named a First Team All‑American means everything to me. My whole life I've been overlooked, under‑recruited, and doubted, almost like I was never quite enough in other people's eyes. I didn't have the spotlight, I didn't have the hype, and I definitely didn't have anything handed to me on the court. This isn't just an award — it's proof that my past never defined me."
Earlier this season, Hackett was voted Region 4 First Team, earned All‑American nominee status, and was selected as the Region 4 Midwest District A Player of the Year after receiving the highest All‑Region vote total in the district. He helped lead MATC to a 31–5 record — the second‑most wins in a single season in program history, trailing only the 32‑win 2023 national championship team — along with a Midwest District A championship and an NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearance, where the Stormers advanced to the Elite Eight.
Before arriving at MATC, Hackett starred at Delta College, where he earned NJCAA First Team All‑Region 12, First Team All‑MCCAA, First Team MCCAA Northern Conference, and All‑Freshman Team honors.
MATC All‑Americans (Program History):
Hackett becomes just the sixth All‑American in program history and only the second to earn First Team honors.
