Eastern New Mexico University Athletic Director Matt Billings announced the appointment of Tye Hiatt as the next head coach of the Greyhound football program. A press conference introducing Hiatt will take place at a later date.

“We are thrilled to welcome Tye to Eastern New Mexico as our next head football coach. We believe that Tye will continue to build upon the great success and tradition of the ENMU football program. He is passionate about the sport and will be a great leader for our student-athletes on and off the field,” said Billings.

Hiatt inherits a program that has seen great success in recent years, as the 2019 Hounds broke the school record for rushing yards in a single season with 4,191 yards and matched the second-highest win total in the history of the program with a record of 8-4. The team broke the Lone Star Conference record for rushing attempts in a season with 770, a mark that was previously held by the Greyhounds back in 2016 with 731 attempts. Eastern also notched its first ever Division II bowl win with a victory over Southern Arkansas in the 2019 Heritage Bowl.

“I am honored and humbled to become the next Head Football Coach at Eastern New Mexico University. I want to thank Matt Billings and President Caldwell for the opportunity to lead such a strong, storied program. After visiting campus, I knew that Eastern New Mexico was a great place and to lead this program would be a special opportunity. Our coaching staff will build a successful program based on accountability, discipline and competitiveness. Our mindset will be to improve every day and have a blue-collar approach in every phase of the program. My family is ecstatic to be here and I can’t wait to get to work,” said Hiatt.

Hiatt becomes the 17th head coach in program history and arrives to ENMU from NCAA Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W. Va. where he spent three years as the offensive coordinator.

In 2019, Hiatt helped Shepherd to a 10-3 record and an NCAA DII playoff appearance in the team’s first season in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The team was the statistical champion in passing yards per game (347.0), third in completion percentage (.703), fifth in first down offense (324), and sixth in total offense (507.0). Quarterback Tyson Bagent was the NCAA DII statistical champion in passing yards per game (362.4) and completions per game (28.58). Shepherd also saw a 1,000 yard-rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers for the second time in program history.

In his first season in 2018, Shepherd posted a 7-3 mark with freshman quarterback Bagent recording numerous program passing marks and ranking in the top 11 in eight NCAA DII statistical categories.

Prior to his time at Shepherd, Hiatt spent four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Frostburg State University. In 2017, he helped the Bobcats to an 11-2 overall mark and an appearance in the NCAA DIII quarterfinals. During the 2016 season, Frostburg finished the season with nine straight wins and scored 20 or more points in nine contests.

Under Hiatt’s direction, the Bobcats set a program record in completion percentage (.611) in 2015. In 2014, Frostburg finished seventh in the Empire 8 in both rushing yards (1,273) and rushing yards per game (127.3).

Hiatt arrived at Frostburg after three years at Southern Virginia University where he was the wide receivers coach in 2011 before being promoted to run game coordinator in 2012. In 2013 as the offensive coordinator, he helped the Knights average 30 points per game and rack up 323 yards per game in total offense.

Hiatt was a four-year student-athlete on the Southern Virginia football team. He sits second in school history in career receiving yards (1,591), receptions (127), and touchdown receptions (15). He earned NAIA Honorable Mention All-American, NAIA All-Independent First Team, Roanoke Times All-State First Team and VaSID All-State Second Team honors for his efforts in 2008.

He received a bachelor’s degree in physical education and recreation administration from Southern Virginia in 2012 and earned a master’s degree in sport administration from Liberty University in 2015. Hiatt and his wife Paige, have three children- Blake, Neil, and Zack.