Hovde began his coaching career as the director of basketball operations at Columbia on the staff of Lions' head coach Kyle Smith in 2011. He was promoted to an assistant coach position after one season.[4] Hovde left Columbia to take an assistant coaching position with San Francisco in 2016 after Smith was hired as the Dons' head coach.[5] Following Smith's departure to Washington State, he was promoted to associate head coach by new head coach Todd Golden.[6] Hovde left USF to become an assistant at his alma mater, Richmond, in 2021.[2] Hovde was hired as an assistant at Florida as part of Golden's inaugural staff one season later.[7]