DALLAS – University of North Texas at Dallas athletics is proud to unveil its new staff for the 2025-26 season. Led by Josh Howard as the new Athletic Director, the Trailblazers are prepared to usher in a new era and continue serving their student-athletes in a way that paves THEIR pathway to new possibilities.
 
Howard is the longest tenured member of the department, having come from the department's inaugural season in 2020-21. Howard has been with the Trailblazers' men's basketball team as their head coach all six years. He was named the Athletic Director in the spring of 2025. Howard brings his basketball professional stardom as a former first round selection of the NBA Dallas Mavericks in 2003. He was part of the Mavs team that reached the 2006 NBA finals and competed seven seasons with the local team before finishing with three other organizations (Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves). Howard also leads the Josh Howard Foundation, which was spotlighted this past year with Inside the Sooner.
 
Joining the Trailblazers staff is the department's first General Manager Kennah Lambert. Lambert was appointed in June and bolsters the administration side of the athletic department.
 
Nathan Yacovissi returns for his second year as the Athletic Communications Director. Yacovissi will continue to build and maintain brand identity for the department, as well as increase media information on website and social media platforms.
 
Matthew Johnson has been along Coach Howard's side guiding the men's basketball team each year and fostering growth among the student-athletes that have competed for the Trailblazers. He will be helping Coach Howard and Lambert with department efforts for reaching out to the community.
 
The Trailblazers welcome two new head coaches to the department, with Otis Nicksion being named the third head coach after serving as an assistant last winter. Nicksion enters his second season with the Trailblazers after serving as an assistant coach last season.
 
Earlier in August, the Trailblazers selected Darvis "Doc" Patton as the next Cross Country and Track & Field Head Coach. Patton is a highly decorated world-class athlete and coach looking to build a program that can benefit from his pedigree of success with the local community already.
 
The UNT Dallas athletics staff is excited for the upcoming year and cannot wait to welcome our Trailblazers back for 2025-26. Are you ready to #Blazeyourtrail?