Adam Hepker has spent four seasons as the lead assistant coach for the OUAZ men's basketball program after taking the position to help build the program before the start of the 2017-18 season. Hepker is no stranger to the NAIA having spent 14 seasons as a coach or a player within the national organization. During that time, Hepker teams have reached the NAIA National Championship eight times.

Hepker came to Surprise after two seasons as assistant coach at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. That was preceded by five years as an assistant coach at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.
 

OUAZ (2017-Present)

OUAZ has won 44 games during Hepker’s four seasons on the Spirit bench. He was the acting head coach in the Spirit’s 96-68 upset of ninth-ranked The Master’s in January and he helped game plan for three wins over nationally ranked teams during the 2019-20 season, including a road win at No. 7 The Master's that snapped the Mustangs 47-game home court winning streak. 
 

Before OUAZ

Grand View (2015-17): Hepker spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Grand View where the Vikings tallied a record of 35-27. The 2016-17 squad reached the NAIA National Championship and finished 20-11 for its first 20-win season in six years. The Vikings averaged 83 points per game over the two seasons with Hepker on the bench, including finishing 15th in the NAIA at 85.1 points per game in 2016-17.

MidAmerica Nazarene (2010-15): Before moving to Grand View, Hepker spent five seasons as an assistant coach alongside current OUAZ head coach Matt Keeley for Rocky Lamar at MidAmerica Nazarene. The Pioneers won 102 games and reached three NAIA National Championships during that time, including a trip to the quarterfinals and another to the Fab Four. Hepker coached at least one All-American in each of his five seasons at MNU.
 

Playing Career (MidAmerica Nazarene & Germany)

As a player, Hepker was a four-year starter at MNU from 2004-2008. During those four years, MNU won 115 games and made four trips to the NAIA National Championship. Those runs included three straight trips to the Fab Four and winning the 2007 title with Hepker being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Hepker was a Second Team All-American as a sophomore and a First Team All-American as a junior and senior, as well the Heart of America Conference Player of the Year his junior and senior seasons.

Hepker would continue his playing career professionally overseas for the Cocoon Baskets Weiden in Weiden, Germany for one season in 2008-2009.
 

Personal

Hepker graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene in 2008 with a degree in History and Government Education. Adam and his wife Amy have two daughters, Brenley & Brooklyn, and a son, Bryson.