RELEASE: Hamilton Named Head Coach At Eastern Kentucky

NC State assistant basketball coach A.W. Hamilton was named the head coach at Eastern Kentucky University on Friday.

"I'm excited for A.W. to take over the Eastern Kentucky program," NC State head coach Kevin Keatts said. "I've known A.W. for over 15 years as a player and assistant coach, and he is ready for this opportunity. His ability to teach, recruit and game plan is exceptional, and he is going to do a great job for EKU."
 
A native of Georgetown, Ky., and a former prep star at Scott County High School, Hamilton spent the 2017-18 season as an assistant coach for the Wolfpack.

He helped lead NC State to a tie for third-place in the ACC regular season after being picked 12th in the preseason in his lone year with the Pack.

NC State advanced to the NCAA Tournament with a 21-12 record, including wins over No. 2 Arizona, No. 2 Duke and a win at No. 10 UNC-Chapel Hill.

Hamilton played for Keatts at Hargrave Military Academy, and after being a graduate assistant at Marshall, joined Keatts staff at Hargrave as an assistant coach starting with the 2006-07 season. When Keatts left to become an assistant coach at Louisville in 2011, he recommended Hamilton take over the Hargrave program.

During Hamilton's 11 year tenure, Hargrave produced 113 NCAA Division I players, 33 NCAA Division II players, one McDonald's All-American, one Parade All-American and nine NBA players. Hamilton took over as Head Post-Graduate Basketball Coach in 2011.  In the 2015 NBA Draft, two of Hamilton's players were selected: Terry Rozier #16 to the Boston Celtics and Montrezl Harrell #32 to the Houston Rockets.