A New Era of Coaching
North Carolina State’s men’s basketball head coach Justin Gainey unveiled a pair of strategic appointments on Tuesday, naming Ognjen Vasiljević as an assistant coach and Matt Holt as director of scouting for the upcoming 2026‑27 campaign.
Vasiljević arrives after a standout season at South Alabama, where his tenure helped the Jaguars secure second place in the Sun Belt Conference with a 21‑12 record and a berth in the NIT, showcasing his ability to elevate program performance.
The Serbian‑born coach brings a résumé that spans stints at Life University, where he contributed to three consecutive 20‑win seasons and a conference tournament championship, to his early work at Ohio Valley University, and a collegiate playing career that yielded two Heartland Conference titles and NCAA Division II tournament appearances at the University of Arkansas‑Fort Smith.
Internationally, Vasiljević’s talents were recognized when he earned silver and bronze medals with the Serbian national team at the EuroBasket U16 Championship, underscoring a deep‑rooted basketball pedigree.
Matt Holt, meanwhile, transitions to Raleigh after three seasons at Georgia Tech where he served as director of player personnel, and a six‑year tenure at Nebraska overseeing film analysis, opponent scouting and the digital catalog of game footage.
His previous roles also include a three‑year stint as director of basketball operations at Northeastern University, where he coordinated video analysis, academic monitoring, team travel and community events, helping the program capture a 2015 NCAA Tournament appearance and produce six All‑Colonial Athletic Association honorees.
A Northeastern alumnus with a journalism degree and dual master’s in sports industry management and educational administration, Holt also brings experience as a senior manager for the university’s men’s basketball team, having organized video logistics and travel for the squad.
The combined expertise of Vasiljević and Holt is expected to reinforce NC State’s recruiting pipelines, enhance scouting precision and integrate a global perspective that aligns with the program’s ambition to compete at the highest level of collegiate basketball.