Eric Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Eric Hamilton is an American football
coach. Hamilton has been the head football coach at The College of New Jersey
since 1977. Through the end of the 2010 season, he had a career record of 201 wins, 135 losses, and 6 ties.
, Hamilton attended Bordentown Regional High School, where he earned all-area and all-league honors playing center
for the football team and also competing in track and field.
He subsequently attended Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey
("TCNJ")) in the early 1970s. He played center
for the Trenton State Lions football teams from 1971 to 1974. He was named an all-conference player three times and received All-ECAC honors in 1973 and 1974. He also received All-American designations in 1974 from Kodak, the Associated Press, the United Press International.
In 33 years as the head coach, he has led the TCNJ Lions football teams to eight New Jersey Athletic Conference
championships. His teams also played in NCAA tournaments in 1990, 1996, 1997, and 2007, and in ECAC tournaments in 1995 and 2003. He became the winningest football coach in Trenton State/TCNJ history in 1985 when he won his 56th game at age 32. In 1990, The New York Times praised the Trenton State team as "a typical Hamilton team noted for its discipline." He has had one 10-win season (1990), three 9-win seasons (1982, 1997, and 2007) and seven 8-win seasons (1980, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996 and 1998).
It is anticipated that Hamilton will reach the 200 career win milestone during the 2010 football season.
Hamilton is also a leader of the Sunshine Football Classic, an annual football game for high school all-stars held at TCNJ's Lion Stadium to raise money for chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged or abused children ages 3–18. The Sunshine Football Classic has been played each year since 1997.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. Hamilton has been the head football coach at The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a suburb of Trenton....
since 1977. Through the end of the 2010 season, he had a career record of 201 wins, 135 losses, and 6 ties.
Athlete
A native of Bordentown, New JerseyBordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
, Hamilton attended Bordentown Regional High School, where he earned all-area and all-league honors playing center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
for the football team and also competing in track and field.
He subsequently attended Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a suburb of Trenton....
("TCNJ")) in the early 1970s. He played center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
for the Trenton State Lions football teams from 1971 to 1974. He was named an all-conference player three times and received All-ECAC honors in 1973 and 1974. He also received All-American designations in 1974 from Kodak, the Associated Press, the United Press International.
Coaching career
After graduating from Trenton State in 1974, Hamilton became a graduate assistant for the Trenton State football team in 1975 and 1976. In January 1977, Hamilton was named the head football coach at TCNJ at age 23. At the time, he was the youngest head football coach at any college in the United States. Interviewed Princeton TV30 in 2008, Hamilton said that his most memorable experience was his first game as head coach at Trenton State. At age 23, he was "scared to death" to play on the road on a Friday night in a rain storm and wasn't sure what to say to the team. He put on scuba flippers, and a scuba mask, walked into the locker room and said, "All right guys, let's go out and play." The team won 14-0 in the mud and the rain, and he recalled it as "the most fun he ever had."In 33 years as the head coach, he has led the TCNJ Lions football teams to eight New Jersey Athletic Conference
New Jersey Athletic Conference
The New Jersey Athletic Conference , formerly the New Jersey State Athletic Conference, is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Full members are located in New Jersey, track-only and football-only members are located in Connecticut and New York.-Member...
championships. His teams also played in NCAA tournaments in 1990, 1996, 1997, and 2007, and in ECAC tournaments in 1995 and 2003. He became the winningest football coach in Trenton State/TCNJ history in 1985 when he won his 56th game at age 32. In 1990, The New York Times praised the Trenton State team as "a typical Hamilton team noted for its discipline." He has had one 10-win season (1990), three 9-win seasons (1982, 1997, and 2007) and seven 8-win seasons (1980, 1983, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996 and 1998).
It is anticipated that Hamilton will reach the 200 career win milestone during the 2010 football season.
Hamilton is also a leader of the Sunshine Football Classic, an annual football game for high school all-stars held at TCNJ's Lion Stadium to raise money for chronically ill, seriously ill, physically challenged or abused children ages 3–18. The Sunshine Football Classic has been played each year since 1997.
NCAA Football Rules Committee
In 2004, Hamilton began serving a four-year term on the important NCAA football rules committee. Hamilton was involved in the decision to implement, and voted in favor of, the use of instant replay in college football.Overall coaching record and awards
Hamilton has compiled a record of 196 wins, 130 losses, and 6 ties. He has received numerous awards for his accomplishments and contributions to the sport of college football, including the following:- In 1995, Hamilton was inducted into TCNJ's Alumni-Athletic Hall of Fame.
- In 2008, Hamilton was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award.
- Hamilton was selected as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1990, 1997, 1998 and 2007.
- In 2001, Hamilton received an award from the National Football FoundationNational Football FoundationThe National Football Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 1947 by General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army Black Knights football coach Earl "Red" Blaik and journalist Grantland Rice...
and College Football Hall of FameCollege Football Hall of FameThe College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
for outstanding leadership.
Coaching record
| Year | Team | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | TCNJ | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | When hired at age 23, Hamilton was the youngest head football coach at any college in the United States. |
| 1978 | TCNJ | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | |
| 1979 | TCNJ | 7 | 3 | 0 | .700 | |
| 1980 | TCNJ | 8 | 1 | 1 | .850 | |
| 1981 | TCNJ | 5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | |
| 1982 | TCNJ | 9 | 1 | 0 | .900 | |
| 1983 | TCNJ | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | Trenton State completes its sixth consecutive winning season. |
| 1984 | TCNJ | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | |
| 1985 | TCNJ | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | Hamilton became the winningest football coach in Trenton State/TCNJ history with 56th win |
| 1986 | TCNJ | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | |
| 1987 | TCNJ | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | |
| 1988 | TCNJ | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | |
| 1989 | TCNJ | 8 | 1 | 1 | .850 | |
| 1990 | TCNJ | 10 | 2 | 0 | .833 | NCAA tournament |
| 1991 | TCNJ | 5 | 3 | 1 | .611 | |
| 1992 | TCNJ | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | |
| 1993 | TCNJ | 3 | 6 | 1 | .350 | |
| 1994 | TCNJ | 5 | 4 | 1 | .550 | |
| 1995 | TCNJ | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | ECAC tournament; includes ECAC playoff win |
| 1996 | TCNJ | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | Name change from Trenton St. to TCNJ in 1996; NCAA tournament |
| 1997 | TCNJ | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | NCAA tournament |
| 1998 | TCNJ | 8 | 3 | 0 | .727 | |
| 1999 | TCNJ | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | |
| 2000 | TCNJ | 4 | 5 | 0 | .444 | |
| 2001 | TCNJ | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | |
| 2002 | TCNJ | 6 | 3 | 0 | .667 | |
| 2003 | TCNJ | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | ECAC tournament |
| 2004 | TCNJ | 7 | 2 | 0 | .778 | |
| 2005 | TCNJ | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | |
| 2006 | TCNJ | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | |
| 2007 | TCNJ | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | NCAA tournament |
| 2008 | TCNJ | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | |
| 2009 | TCNJ | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | |
| 2010 | TCNJ | 5 | 5 | 0 | .400 | |
| Total | 201 | 135 | 6 | .596 | ||