Named the ninth head coach in program history on March 31, 2010 Hotaling enters his 17th season at the helm of the New Haven men’s basketball program. Throughout his time with the Blue & Gold, he has consistently pushed the standard for his program to a higher level.
The 2025-26 season saw the Blue & Gold finish 9-9 in the NEC, good for fifth in the conference. Hotaling’s program also scheduled UConn, Columbia, and Penn State in the season’s opening week. The program went on to play at Seton Hall, Boston College, Fordham, and Vanderbilt prior to beginning league play.
One member from the 25-26 team, Stefano Faloppa, went on to sign a professional contract in Italy in July of 2026. Faloppa became the 12th player who played under Hotaling at New Haven to sign a professional contract.
Prior to leveling up to the Division I ranks, Hotaling’s accomplishments include reaching the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in program history in 2023. The Chargers’ historic run through the NCAA East Region Championship resulted in the program's first-ever trip to Evansville, Ind. and the Ford Center, home to the National Championship.
Hotaling earned his 200th career win with the program during the 2023-24 season, something only one other head coach in program history has accomplished. With a 232-201 career record at New Haven at the beginning of the 2026-27 season, Hotaling needs just 22 wins to pass Stu Grove (253) for the most wins by a head coach in program history.
New Haven finished its 2022-23 campaign with a 23-11 record, with the 34 games played the most ever in a single season at New Haven. Also among the highlights following the historic season for Hotaling and the Chargers was Majur Majak who won back-to-back major conference awards as he took home Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 105 blocks, the second most in the country. In addition, he was third in the nation with 3.09 blocks per game, while also leading the nation with 408 total rebounds and 9.74 defensive rebounds per game. Overall, Majak was one of three Chargers honored by the conference following the season with graduate guard Quashawn Lane on the All-Conference First Team and senior forward Ty Perry on the All-Conference Third Team. Lane also added All-Region honors from both the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Hotaling led the Chargers to back-to-back appearances in the Conference Championship game and the last two National Tournaments. Hotaling has now led the Blue & Gold to five National Tournament appearances.
Hotaling earned his 100th career win on February 15, 2016. He became the fourth coach in program history to earn his 100th win, and exactly three years later, Hotaling picked up career victory 150.
Under his guidance, Hotaling has led a host of Chargers to postseason accolades and career records marks. Leading that list is Eric Anderson ’15, a two-time All-American (2014, 2015), three-time Defensive Player of the Year, two-time All-Region and four-time All-Conference performer. Anderson closed out his career at New Haven 14th all-time in scoring (1,551 points) while he also set a school record with 238 career blocks, passing Herb Watkins (191; 1984-88).
Overall during his tenure, seven Chargers have joined the ranks of the 1,000 point club, the highest of which is Elijah Bailey, who graduated eighth all-time with 1,780 career points. In 2022-23 alone, three Chargers joined the elite group with Lane doing so on New Year’s Eve against Le Moyne and junior Davontrey Thomas reaching the feat in the NCAA regionals.
Anderson is one of 13 different players who collected 17 All-Conference honors under Hotaling. In addition, Hotaling’s players have collected six major conference distinctions, and five different players have received All-Region honors during his tenure.
In 2021-22 Hotaling led the Chargers back to the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in his tenure, advancing to the East Region semifinal round for the second time in as many appearances. Overall, New Haven closed out the 2021-22 season with an 18-9 overall record and a mark of 13-6 in league play, finishing second in the Southwest Division.
Among the individual highlights was Majak’s first Defensive Player of the Year honor after leading the team, the conference and all of the NCAA in blocks per game with an average of 3.1. He closed out the season with a New Haven single-season record of 85 blocks. In addition to Majak, Lane also earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.
In the Chargers return to the court following the CoVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Hotaling led the program to its second-straight appearance in the conference championship game, wrapping up the 2019-20 campaign with a 15-15 record. As the fifth seed in the Southwest Division, the Chargers were road warriors throughout the tournament, with the highlight of the championship coming in the semifinals when New Haven outlasted Stonehill in an instant, three-overtime thriller 101-100.
The season prior (2018-19), the Chargers finished with a 21-10 record, their third 20+ win season under Hotaling, after earning an at-large bid to their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance. New Haven’s postseason run came to an end against the eventual regional champion but not before tying their highest win total under Hotaling, which was previously set in 2013-14.
The 2017-18 season saw Hotaling lead New Haven to the conference championship for a second-straight season and the sixth time in program history. The Chargers earned a bye through the first round before falling to Merrimack in the quarterfinals. Overall, New Haven finished the 2017-18 season with a 17-10 record, the sixth time in seven years Hotaling led New Haven to a winning season.
The Chargers made their fifth appearance in the conference championship under Hotaling in the 2016-17 campaign, closing out the year 15-14 overall. New Haven earned a first-round victory over Merrimack 84-58. During the 2015-16 season, Hotaling coached the Chargers to arguably the biggest win in program history when New Haven knocked off its crosstown rival. The Blue and Gold led the game for all but six minutes as they defeated the No. 2 ranked team, according to the NABC Coaches Poll, 79-66.
In 2014-15, Hotaling led the Chargers to their fourth-straight winning season, closing out the year with a 15-12 overall record. Among the highlights was senior Eric Anderson who was named Defensive Player of the Year for a third-straight season, the first time in conference history a player has earned the top defensive accolades three years in a row. Anderson was also a repeat member of the All-Conference First Team and stood as the only Charger to earn first team honors. In addition, Anderson was named a Third Team All-American and signed a contract to play with the Gladiators Trier in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga ProA League following the season.
Statistically, Anderson led the NCAA in rebounds per game (13.1) and defensive rebounds per game (9.85). He was also among the top-10 in the nation in double-doubles (8th) and total rebounds (5th).
Hotaling’s 2012-13 and 2013-14 teams finished with back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 2002-03 and 2003-04, while also earning back-to-back appearances in the NCAA postseason tournament. Hotaling’s 21-9 record in 2013-14 stands as the most wins in a single season under his leadership, while the Chargers’ 14-6 record in the conference that season was the second-best since 2008-09. The Chargers ranked second in the country in fewest turnovers per game (8.9). New Haven also ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring defense (6th) and field goal percentage defense (9th).
Individually, Hotaling mentored Anderson to Defensive Player of the Year and an All-America Honorable Mention recognition, the first for New Haven in 24 years. Anderson finished his junior season leading the conference and second in the country in defensive rebounds per game (8.97). He also ranked third in the nation with 20 double-doubles.
In 2012-13, Hotaling led the Chargers to a 20-9 record, their first 20-win campaign since 2003-04. New Haven reached the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2004 and earned its first win on the national stage since 2003 in the NCAA East Region Quarterfinals.
That season, Hotaling’s Chargers led the conference and ranked 10th nationally in fewest turnovers committed per game (11.0) and slotted at 13th in the country in scoring defense with a conference-leading 61.1 points per game allowed. New Haven also finished second in the conference and 38th in the country in free throw percentage (74.3). Individually, Anderson earned his first Defensive Player of the Year honor, finishing second in the nation with 18 double-doubles while ranking third with 12.0 rebounds per game and ninth in blocked shots at 2.45 per game.
Hotaling led the Chargers to a 15-13 record in 2011-12 - a seven-win improvement from the previous campaign and the program’s first winning season since 2004-05. New Haven also qualified for the conference playoffs, winning a first-round contest before falling in a 54-51 heartbreaker on the road in the Quarterfinals.
In his first season as head coach, the Chargers posted an 8-18 overall mark and a 6-16 record in conference. Throughout the season, New Haven ranked among the top three-point shooting teams in the country. Freshman Justin Exum concluded the season ranked 17th nationally in three-point field goals per game. He was also the highest-ranked freshman in that category. As a team, New Haven ranked 31st in three-point field goal percentage and 32nd in three-point field goals per game.
With over 20 years of college coaching experience, Hotaling most recently spent five seasons as an assistant at Eastern Kentucky University. While at EKU, the Colonels enjoyed a number of record-setting seasons, including two postseason runs. Hotaling’s main responsibilities at EKU included working with the guards and coordinating the program’s recruiting efforts.
In 2007, the Colonels earned a berth to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tournament. EKU was selected to the College Basketball Invitational this season after amassing a 20-11 regular season record. The Colonels were one of the best offensive teams in the country during Hotaling’s tenure as well. In 2010, EKU ranked in the top 10 in three-point field goals made, turnovers per game and assist/turnover ratio. The Colonels also broke the Ohio Valley Conference record for three-pointers made in back-to-back seasons (2008-09 and 2009-10).
Prior to arriving at Eastern Kentucky, Hotaling served four years as a full-time assistant at Yale University from 2001-05. He also served one season as an assistant at UNH in 2000-01. The Niverville, N.Y. native began his coaching career at Adelphi University in 1998 where he spent one season as an assistant.
Hotaling earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from University at Albany in 1995 and later earned his master’s degree from Adelphi University. In the fall of 2012, he was inducted into the University at Albany Great Dane Hall of Fame as both an individual student-athlete and as a member of the 1993-94 men’s basketball team that advanced to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight.
After graduating from Albany, he went on to play professionally in Europe for the Cardiff Phoenix Basketball Club in Cardiff, Wales, and the Plymouth Rotolok Raiders in Plymouth, England.
Hotaling and his wife, Keely Garden, have two children – Owen and Susan.
