Archibald William Hamilton (born October 15, 1980) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is the head men's basketball coach at Eastern Kentucky University, a position he has held since 2018. Hamilton served as the head basketball coach at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia from 2011 to 2017. Born in Georgetown, Kentucky, he played college basketball for Wake Forest and Marshall, where he graduated in 2005.
Playing career
Hamilton starred at Scott County High School under coach Billy Hicks from 1996 to 1999, earning four varsity letters. He helped lead the Cardinals to the 1998 Kentucky state basketball championship before helping guide them to a state runner-up finish in 1999. Hamilton was named 1st team Kentucky All-State in 1999 as well as Kentucky's 8th Region Co-Player of the Year.
Following his career at Scott County, Hamilton played a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy, beginning a relationship with head coach Kevin Keatts. Hamilton averaged 17.9 points, 9.6 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game for Hargrave before signing a full basketball scholarship with Wake Forest.
Hamilton appeared in 19 games for the Demon Deacons in the 2000–01 season, and 4 games in the 2001–02 season before transferring to Marshall for the 2002–03 season. Hamilton went on to play 82 games for the Thundering Herd between 2002 and 2005, starting 81 of them. He averaged 33.9 minutes per game, 8.4 points per game, 5.0 assists per game and 1.3 steals per game during his Marshall Career. Hamilton's name is littered throughout the Marshall All-Time record book, as he currently ranks 10th all-time in career assists (411), 13th in career 3pt% (38.6%), 21st in career steals (107) and 31st in career 3pt field goals made (83). Hamilton led Marshall in assists and steals each season he played for the Thundering Herd.
On September 4, 2015, Hamilton was inducted to the Scott County Sports Hall of Fame.
Coaching career
Marshall University
Following graduation from Marshall in 2005, Hamilton joined the Marshall staff as graduate assistant for Coach Ron Jirsa. After one year as a graduate assistant, Hamilton decided to return home to Hargrave Academy to be an assistant coach in 2006.
Hargrave Academy
After serving as an assistant under Kevin Keatts for 5 years, Hamilton took over the Hargrave program as the head coach in 2011. During his time as head coach (2011–2017) at Hargrave, Hamilton compiled 237 wins and only 22 losses. In 2016, he led his team to a 47–1 record and captured the 2016 National Prep Championship. Coach A.W. Hamilton helped get 63 of his players to NCAA Division I and 25 to the NCAA Division II over his six years in charge. Two of his players were drafted in the 2015 NBA Draft, Terry Rozier (#16 to the Boston Celtics) and Montrezl Harrell (#32 to the Houston Rockets). Coach Hamilton's accolades while at Hargrave consist of: National Prep Coach of the Year (2012, 2016), East Region Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2017), Program of the Decade (2012), six Nation Prep Elite Eight appearances, and three National Prep Final Fours, to go along with his outstanding 91.5 win percentage. Kyle Goon of the San Bernardino Sun said, “Hamilton was Hargrave’s Phil Jackson.” Hamilton was twice awarded Hargrave's prestigious O.B. Teague Coach of the Year award, which is presented to the Academy's top overall athletic coach, in 2012 and 2016. On Sept. 21, 2017, Hamilton was inducted into the Hargrave Military Academy Basketball Hall of Fame. A.W. Hamilton was named Hargrave Coach of the Decade during the 2010 time period.
North Carolina State University
Coach Hamilton would reunite with head coach Kevin Keatts in Raleigh, North Carolina, at NC State as an assistant coach in 2017. In his lone year at NC State, Hamilton was a key part of landing a top 10 recruiting class, helped the Wolfpack finish tied for 3rd in the ACC, and secured an NCAA Tournament at-large selection bid.