Hargrave Military Academy Coach A.W. Hamilton accepted the Head Coach position of the school’s Post-Graduate (PG) Basketball program yesterday. Coach Kevin Keatts, the Academy’s Head Coach of the team, recently accepted an assistant coach position in the University of Louisville’s basketball program. Keatts coached at Hargrave for ten years.
“Coach Hamilton has been instrumental in supporting Hargrave’s effort in Post-Graduate basketball for the past five years. It hasn’t gone unnoticed,” said Dr. Wheeler Baker, Col. USMC (ret.), Hargrave’s president. “He is an exceptionally talented coach with a strong basketball background and an even stronger background at Hargrave.”
Coach Hamilton is a 2000 graduate of Hargrave Post-Graduate basketball program and played for Coach Keatts while a Hargrave Cadet. Later he attended and played for Wake Forest University. He has been Coach Keatts’ assistant for five years.
“It’s an honor to be named the head coach of Hargrave’s Post-Graduate basketball team. I cannot say enough about how this school helps young people both in and out of the classroom,” said Coach Hamilton. “As a former player for Coach Keatts and as a former Hargrave Cadet, I’m eager to continue the success of the program and provide those same opportunities to other young men.”
During his five seasons as Coach Keatts’s assistant coach, Hargrave made five Final Four appearances in the national prep championships, including a national championship win and one national championship runner-up. The school’s five-year record is 134-9 and has signed 51 players to Division I scholarships.
One of those players, Jordan Crawford, was a first-round pick in the 2010 NBA draft pick and another, P.J. Hairston, was named a 2011 McDonald’s All-American. The 2007-2008 Hargrave squad had a perfect season with a record of 29-0 and won the national prep championship. The 2008-2009 team had a 27-2 record and finished as the national runner-up.
Hargrave Post-Graduate team members only remain at the school for one year, meaning the Hargrave coaching staff must build a championship level squad every year and get them qualified for school.
After departing Hargrave as a student, Hamilton received a full basketball scholarship from Wake Forest University. While there, he played with former Hargrave PG basketball alumni Josh Howard. Hamilton finished his collegiate career at Marshall University, where he was a two year captain and currently ranks 8th All-Time in school history for assists.
“Coach Keatts has been like a father to me. I have so much respect for him as a coach, but even more so as a person. I cannot put into words how he has impacted my life in such a positive way, and I hope to impact the lives of my players in the same spirit,” stated Coach Hamilton. “I’m excited about the 2011-2012 season, especially in continuing the success of developing Division I athletes both on the court and in the classroom.”
