University of Oklahoma Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Carlin Hartman is in his fifth season as an assistant coach for the Sooners. Hartman was hired by head coach Lon Kruger on May 4, 2016 after spending the previous two seasons as the associate head coach at Rice University.
With Hartman on the bench, the Sooners have reached the last three NCAA Tournaments.
As a recruiter, Hartman played a crucial role in bringing in the best recruiting class of the Kruger era. The 2019 class is ranked the highest in the Big 12 and No. 13 in the nation by Rivals. He was the lead recruiter of current Sooners Austin Reaves (All-Big 12 First Team) Kur Kuath, Anyang Garang, Victor Iwaukor, Trey Phipps, Umoja Gibson, Elijah Harkless.and Josh O'Garro.
One of Hartman’s major contributions in his three seasons in Norman is his development of the OU big men position group, including 2020 All-Big 12 First Team selection Kristian Doolittle, 2020 All-Big 12 Third Team honoree Brady Manek and Khadeem Lattin – the school’s all-time leader in career blocks.
Hartman was recognized by Stadium as one of the top three assistant coaches in the Big 12 - as voted on by fellow league coaches in 2020. Silver Waves Media also named him one of the top 50 influential head coaches among high majors. In 2019, Hartman was one of 31 assistant coaches in the country to receive an invitation to the second-annual Collegiate Coaching Consortium, which brings together rising basketball coaches and NCAA Division I athletics directors to participate in a multi-day academy.
Hartman made his coaching debut as an assistant coach at Rice in 1996 following his professional basketball career. He served in three separate stints with the Owls, returning for two seasons as director of operations from 2002-04 and as associate head coach from 2014-16.
Prior to his return to Rice, Hartman worked as Columbia’s associate head coach for four seasons. In 2013-14, he helped lead the program to its most wins (21) since 1968. From 2012-14, Hartman served as the Ivy League representaive on the National Association of Basketball Coaches' Assistant Coaches Commitee. Hartman played a vital role in the recruiting of Maodo Lo - the second-highest scorer in Columbia history.
Before his appointment at Columbia, Hartman served as an assistant coach for one season each at James Madison and Centenary in 2009-10 and 2008-09, respectively.
From 2005-08, Hartman worked as assistant coach and the lead recruiter at Richmond for three seasons where he was the lead recruiter for three of the top scorers in program history, including Kevin Anderson (second; 2,165 points), David Gonzalez (fourth; 1,727) and Justin Harper (11th; 1,457). Harper was later drafted as the second pick of the second round (No. 32 overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hartman mentored three future NBA talents at Rice from 2002-04 as director of operations, including the Owls’ all-time leading scorer and rebounder Mike Harris, as well as All-America honoree and 2007 NBA draft selection Morris Almond and all-WAC selection Mike Wilks. The Owls won 41 games over those two seasons, including a 23-13 mark in league play.
Additionally, Hartman spent one season each at McNeese State and Louisiana-Lafayette as an assistant coach.
Hartman earned a degree in communications with a concentration in broadcast journalism from Tulane in 1994. He will be inducted into the 2020 Tulane Athletics Hall of Fame along with his teammates from the 1992 Green Wave team.
He wrapped up his Tulane career ranked 10th in scoring (1,180 points), third on the program’s career field goal percentage list (52.8 percent) and seventh in career steals (146). In 2011, Hartman was named to Tulane’s 1990s All-Decade Team as part of the Green Wave’s celebration of 100 years of basketball. Following college, the Rapid City Thrillers selected Hartman in the third round of the 1994 CBA Draft.
Hartman and his wife, Christine, have four children - Sydney, Kailyn, Tess and Joseph. All three of his daughters are graduates of the University of Oklahoma. Sydney has a degree in Spanish, Kailyn studied Health and Wellness and Tess has an advertising degree.
