Hockenos attended Bishop Duffy High School in Niagara Falls, New York.
After mediocre senior season, he was not recruited by any colleges and rejected by the schools he applied to due to academic reasons.
A short time later, Hockenos visited St. Francis University at the behest of Pete Lonergan, a former assistant coach at NCCC.
After sitting out his first semester, Hockenos played two seasons for St. Francis where he averaged 13.7 points in 41 games.
[8] 10 days after he arrived back in Iceland, Hockenos unexpectedly left the club in September 1978.