Career
He has been the head coach of Central Connecticut since the 2000 season, leading the Blue Devils to four National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournaments. Previously, he was the head coach at Providence for three season (1997–1999). Collegiate summer baseball
Before becoming an National Collegiate Athletic Association head coach, Hickey was an assistant with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League from 1992–1994 and head coach of the New England Collegiate Baseball League"s Eastern Tides in 1996.
Providence
Hickey began his coaching career as an assistant at Providence in the 1992 season.
He held the position for five years, then became head coach when Paul Kostacopoulos left to become the head coach at Maine following the 1996 season. Hickey coached Providence for three seasons (1997–1999).
In 1997, the Friars missed the Big East Tournament. There, it lost its opening game to Saint John"s, then defeated Rutgers and West Virginia before being eliminated by Notre Dame.
In October 1998, Providence announced it would cut its baseball program following the 1999 season, due to Title IX"s gender equity requirements.
During that season, Providence finished third in the Big East and went 49–16 to set a New England record for wins. At the Big East Tournament, the Friars started off 1–1, defeating fourth-seeded Seton Hall in the opening game, then losing to second-seeded Rutgers. As a two-seed at the Tallahassee Regional, the Friars lost their opener to Jacksonville, 7–5.
In the regional championship, Florida State defeated the Friars, 14–3, in the program"s final game.
The team"s season was the subject of a book by Paul Lonardo and received national attention in the debate over Title IX. Central Connecticut
Hickey was offered the head coaching position at Central Connecticut (which he accepted) by retiring CCSU coach George Redman. Under Hickey, CCSU had a great deal of success in the early 2000s.
The Blue Devils qualified for the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament in 2002, 2003, and 2004, also winning Nippon Electric Corporation regular season titles in 2001 and 2006. In 2012, Hickey surpassed Hank Majlinger to become Central Connecticut"s winningest coach.
In 2014, multiple Blue Devils were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft for the first time in his tenure at CCSU– pitcher Nick Neumann was taken by the Pirates, and outfielder Justice of the Peace Sportman was taken by the Athletics.