Varsity
Head Coach – Matt Hooten
Coach Hooten earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Claremont McKenna College in 2004 and a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from Arizona State University in 2006. Before coming to Brophy in 2007, Coach Hooten taught sixth grade at Littleton Elementary in Avondale as a member of Teach For America, a nonprofit organization. Since coming to Brophy, he has taught in the social studies department and has coached at all three levels in the basketball program. After three years as an assistant at the freshmen and JV levels, Coach Hooten spent five years as Brophy’s head JV coach. In the spring of 2015 he became the head varsity coach. Coach Hooten and his wife, Katie, have two sons. During his life away from the court, Coach Hooten enjoys spending time with his family and traveling.
Assistant Coach – Mike Schwertley ’99
After graduating from Brophy in 1999, Coach Schwertley went on to the University of Arizona where he received a degree in creative writing. While at the U of A, he played basketball for the Wildcats for three years, including as a member of the 2001 Final Four team coached by Lute Olson. He also played one season of football. Coach Schwertley has coached basketball at both the high school and junior college levels and joined Brophy’s varsity coaching staff after two seasons as the head JV coach. Some of Coach Schwertley’s favorite quotes include: “Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.” – Steve Prefontaine. “It’s not the will to win that matters, everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” – Paul “Bear” Bryant. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
Assistant Coach – Matt Smith
Coach Smith grew up in New York and attended Union College where he graduated in 2007 with a major in French and Francophone Studies and minors in American History and Anthropology. In 2023, he joined the Brophy faculty as a social studies teacher as well as a basketball and baseball coach. Prior to coaching at Brophy, he was a varsity assistant coach at the Bullis School, near Washington, D.C., where his proudest memory came when the Bulldogs cut down the nets and won a 2023 Interstate Athletic Conference title while earning a #5 ranking in The Washington Post. Additionally, Coach Smith is no stranger to the Valley as he spent seven years teaching AP courses and leading the BASIS Chandler varsity basketball program. During that time, he was twice voted Charter School State Coach of the Year. Yet, Coach Smith is most proud of his lifelong friendships with former players, families, and students.
Assistant Coach – Ian Burke ’18
Coach Burke graduated from Brophy in 2018 after leading the Broncos to a 26-2 record in the 2017-2018 season and earning 6A Premier Region Player of the Year honors. He played basketball at Seattle University during his freshman year before transferring to Portland State University where he finished his collegiate career while earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Coach Burke is a Level 2 certified ATG Coach and is passionate about helping athletes reach their athletic goals. ATG reinvents modern strength training by prioritizing building strength from the ground up and focusing on previously ignored muscles to help athletes improve their athleticism without ever working through pain in the process. When not in the gym, he enjoys going on walks with his partner, Lou, and puppy, Rookie.
Junior Varsity
Head Coach – John Burns
Coach Burns was born and raised in the Chicago area and graduated from Joliet Catholic High School in 1985. He earned a Bachelor of Science in history from Northern Illinois University, a Master of Arts in political studies from Governors State University, and a Master of Arts in sport management from the United States Sports Academy. Coach Burns began his basketball coaching career at his alma mater, Joliet Catholic, coaching at all three levels from 1991 to 1997. He married his wife, Laurie, in 1997 and they moved to Wisconsin where he joined Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha as head varsity coach, coaching from 1998 to 2008. In 2004 he led his team to the Division II state title. Coach Burns, Laurie, and their daughter, Holly, moved to Phoenix in 2008 when Coach Burns joined Brophy’s faculty as a member of the social studies department.
Assistant Coach – Brad Shear
Assistant Coach – Chris White ’97
Coach White graduated from Brophy in 1997, and then he attended Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Washington. He played basketball for all four years at EWU and graduated with a degree in communications becoming the first graduate from the basketball program in more than eight years. After he left Cheney, Wash., he played in various basketball leagues overseas including in Holland, Cyprus, and South Korea. Following the conclusion of his playing career, Coach White transitioned to working in the transportation industry for many years. Currently, he is working as a lender to real estate investors in Arizona. He joined Brophy’s JV coaching staff in 2021. In his time away from work and coaching, he and his wife, Staci, enjoy outdoor activities and spending time with their three dogs.
Freshman
Head Coach – Austin Pidgeon ’08
Coach Pidgeon ’08, who grew up in Phoenix, attended Brophy and played basketball for the Broncos under coaches Mark Granger ’86 and Tony Fuller. He went on to Santa Clara University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, and then attended San Francisco State University, earning a Master of Arts in Literature. Coach Pidgeon returned to Brophy in 2014 as a member of the English Department. In his tenure as a basketball coach at Brophy, he has coached at all three levels of the program, including three years as a varsity assistant coach and two years as the head coach of the JV team. In addition to his current role as the head coach of the freshmen basketball team, Coach Pidgeon serves as Brophy’s Dean of Student Support Services.
Assistant Coach – Bill Woods
Coach Woods earned his Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University in 1986 and a Master of Education from Chapman University in 1993. Since his arrival at Brophy in 1990, Coach Woods has coached football, basketball, baseball and tennis while being a “three-sport coach” for over 20 years. In the basketball program, he has coached at all three levels, including stints as the head coach of the JV team and the head coach of the freshmen team. He currently teaches in the math department. Coach Woods married his wife, Janeen, in Brophy Chapel in 1991 and has three children. Coach Woods has ten family members who have attended Brophy including four who played in the basketball program.
Assistant Coach – Bob Hann
Coach Hann, a Wisconsin native, graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay with a Bachelor of Science in planning/economics and a master’s in management. He was a four-year starter for the basketball team at UW–Green Bay and has over 14 years of coaching experience at the high school and Division I levels. This includes two years working under coaching legend Dick Bennett at UW-Green Bay. After coaching at Brophy for four years during the 1990s, Coach Hann returned as Brophy’s assistant freshmen coach in 2015. He is married with two children and his oldest son graduated from Brophy in 2014. He has worked for IBM for over 20 years.
Assistant Coach – Adalberto Diaz
Coach Diaz was born and raised in Arizona. At Nogales High School, he led his team to both a 5A quarterfinal and 5A Final Four game in 2015 and 2016, respectively, while earning first-team honors both years. After graduating, Coach Diaz played basketball at Iowa Western (NJCCA) before transferring and finishing his collegiate career at Northwest Nazarene University (Division II) in 2020 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He then went on to play a year professionally with the Soles of Mexicali in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Professional (LNBP). Coach Diaz believes that basketball is more than just a sport, it is an opportunity for personal development on and off the court. In his free time, he enjoys traveling with his girlfriend and playing with their puppy, Zona