Minot State University Men's Basketball

Murken is in his fifth year as head coach of the Minot State University men's basketball program. After inheriting a transition NCAA Division II team, he has guided the program to many firsts. During the 2015-16 season he coached his team to become the first men's program to finish with a winning record since Minot State has entered the Division II ranks. The Beavers earned wins over Upper Iowa and Winona State for the first time on their way to finish in the top 10 of the conference standings. Murken coached MSU leading scorer Tyler Rudolph to become the second player to earn All-NSIC honors.  In the 2014-15 season, Murken coached the first player from Minot State to earn All-NSIC recognition in Everett Robinson.  In his first season at Minot State, Murken led the Beavers to a 10-17 overall record, an improvement of six wins from the previous season. Despite being picked No. 15 in the Pre-Season Northern Sun Coaches' Poll, the Beavers finished fifth in the NSIC North with nine conference wins. The biggest win of the 2012-13 season came away from the Minot State Dome as MISU took down No. 19 St. Cloud State on their home floor 68-62. Prior to coming to Minot State, Murken collected a vast amount of coaching experience at the head coach, assistant and graduate assistant coaching levels. Murken began his coaching experience at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids Iowa in 2001. He moved on to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. as a graduate assistant. He helped WSC in all aspects of their basketball program including recruiting and game preparation. After one season as a graduate assistant, he was offered a full-time assistant position at WSC. As an assistant Murken successfully recruited players who could thrive both on and off the court. In four years, he recruited five NSIC All-Conference performers and six players to the NSIC All-Academic Team, including two Academic All-Americans. In 2009, Murken joined the staff at Des Moines Area Community College as an assistant coach. Murken spent one season at DMACC and helped the team to a 22-7 record and a national ranking of 14th. In 2010, Murken earned the head coaching position at Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D. Over his two seasons he compiled an impressive 46-16 record. In 2012 after winning the Dakota Athletic Conference Championship, Murken was also named the conference Coach of the Year. Murken has traveled extensively to conduct basketball camps and speak at coaches clinics. In addition to his experience across the US, he has also traveled internationally to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Puerto Rico and Canada to coach and conduct clinics and camps. Murken, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also has playing experience at the collegiate level. He played for four seasons at Concordia University in Seward, Neb. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Concordia, and he also holds a Masters of Science in Education from Wayne State College. Matt Murken Head Men's Basketball Coach Matt Murken is in his fifth year as head coach of the Minot State University men's basketball program. After inheriting a transition NCAA Division II team, he has guided the program to many firsts. During the 2015-16 season he coached his team to become the first men's program to finish with a winning record since Minot State has entered the Division II ranks. The Beavers earned wins over Upper Iowa and Winona State for the first time on their way to finish in the top 10 of the conference standings. Murken coached MSU leading scorer Tyler Rudolph to become the second player to earn All-NSIC honors.  In the 2014-15 season, Murken coached the first player from Minot State to earn All-NSIC recognition in Everett Robinson.  In his first season at Minot State, Murken led the Beavers to a 10-17 overall record, an improvement of six wins from the previous season. Despite being picked No. 15 in the Pre-Season Northern Sun Coaches' Poll, the Beavers finished fifth in the NSIC North with nine conference wins. The biggest win of the 2012-13 season came away from the Minot State Dome as MISU took down No. 19 St. Cloud State on their home floor 68-62. Prior to coming to Minot State, Murken collected a vast amount of coaching experience at the head coach, assistant and graduate assistant coaching levels. Murken began his coaching experience at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids Iowa in 2001. He moved on to Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference rival Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. as a graduate assistant. He helped WSC in all aspects of their basketball program including recruiting and game preparation. After one season as a graduate assistant, he was offered a full-time assistant position at WSC. As an assistant Murken successfully recruited players who could thrive both on and off the court. In four years, he recruited five NSIC All-Conference performers and six players to the NSIC All-Academic Team, including two Academic All-Americans. In 2009, Murken joined the staff at Des Moines Area Community College as an assistant coach. Murken spent one season at DMACC and helped the team to a 22-7 record and a national ranking of 14th. In 2010, Murken earned the head coaching position at Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D. Over his two seasons he compiled an impressive 46-16 record. In 2012 after winning the Dakota Athletic Conference Championship, Murken was also named the conference Coach of the Year. Murken has traveled extensively to conduct basketball camps and speak at coaches clinics. In addition to his experience across the US, he has also traveled internationally to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Puerto Rico and Canada to coach and conduct clinics and camps. Murken, a native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, also has playing experience at the collegiate level. He played for four seasons at Concordia University in Seward, Neb. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from Concordia, and he also holds a Masters of Science in Education from Wayne State College.

Coach Hernandez joined the Minot State’s men’s basketball coaching staff in the spring of 2025 after spending almost a decade as the head coach at the junior college level. Hernandez most recently spent four seasons as the head coach for the Seward County Community College Saints, and prior to leading the Saints Hernandez spent five seasons as the head coach for the Williston State College men’s team where he led the Tetons to the 2019 District XI Championship and the NJCAA National Tournament. Prior to being named head coach at Williston State, Hernandez spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Tetons. Coach Hernandez began his collegiate coaching career while still a player at NCAA Division III Lakeland University in Wisconsin where he was team captain and junior varsity assistant men’s basketball coach. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Lakeland in Exercise Science and Sports Studies. Hernandez is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and a graduate of Roseville Area High School. He began his collegiate career at Vermilion Community College. Hernandez comes to Minot with his wife Kit Hernandez, and their daughter, Eleanor, and son, Theodore.