On April 16th, Stanford basketball head coach Kyle Smith just added Matt Elkin back to the staff as an assistant coach. Elkin held down the assistant recruiting coordinator spot during Stanford's 2024-25 season before heading to Columbia for one year, as Smith highlighted how Elkin's organization helped lock in their 2026 recruiting class right out the gate. At Columbia, Elkin contributed to a solid 16 wins and 12 losses mark, the Lions' best since 2016. He played a big role in developing Ivy League Rookie of the Year, Connor Egoe, an all-Ivy second teamer, Kenny Nolan, setting up a strong foundation.
There, too, Smith praised Elkin for gaining road recruiting chops and encore coaching experience, calling him a great teammate who brings energy every day. Elkin himself said returning to Stanford feels like a dream, blending top-tier athletics with elite academics. Elkin's got deep roots in the game, including four years at Yale, where he helped snag three Ivy titles and two NCAA tournament runs. Earlier stops at prep schools like Windward and Vermont Academy produced D1 talents from five-star prospects to NBA draft picks.
Now back on the farm, Elkin steps right into boosting recruiting and team vibe as Stanford pushes forward in the ACC, laying tracks for the next. Rebuild, win.