Leonard Hamilton

Leonard Hamilton played his college basketball at Gaston Community College and the University of Tennessee from 1966 to 1971. After earning his undergraduate degree he turned his focus to coaching and became a member of the Austin Peay coaching staff in 1971. He’d go on to earn a spot on the University of Kentucky coaching staff from 1974 to 1986 and helped the Wildcats to an NCAA Championship in 1978. During that span he also helped his team to an NCAA runner-up finish in 1975 and a Final Four appearance in 1984. After the 1986 season he was hired as the head coach at Oklahoma State University and quickly turned the Cowboy’s program into a winner, posting consecutive 17-win seasons in 1989 and 1990. As a proven head coach, he was hired on to head up the Miami Hurricanes squad in 1990 and turned their program around as well, leading them to consecutive 15-win seasons in 1995 and 1996, 16 wins in 1997, 18 wins in 1998 and back-to-back 23-win seasons in 1999 and 2000. After leading the Hurricanes to an NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2000 he was hired on at Florida State University. Since that time he has led the Seminoles to 251 wins, seven 20-win seasons, four NCAA Tournament appearances and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2012. Coach Hamilton was named the 2009 and 2012 ACC Coach of the Year after leading the Seminoles to 25 wins in both seasons and an ACC Tournament title in 2012.