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{{Short description| |
{{Short description|American athletic director (1963–2023)}} |
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'''Mike Hamilton''' ( |
'''Mike Hamilton''' (August 13, 1963 – November 10, 2023) was an American athletic director. He was the [[Athletic director|Men's Director of Athletics]] at the [[University of Tennessee]]. Hamilton replaced [[Doug Dickey]] in 2003, becoming the University of Tennessee's seventh men's athletic director.<ref name="Hamilton">{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2003 |title=Mike Hamilton Named UT Director of Athletics |url=https://utsports.com/sports/2017/6/15/genrel-051003aab-html.aspx |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=University of Tennessee Athletics |language=en}}</ref> |
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==Career== |
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A graduate of [[Clemson University]], Hamilton had been on the university's athletic staff for 11 years prior to his hiring.<ref>[http://www.utsports.com/inside-ut/article.aspx?id=20374 utsports.com - Mike Hamilton<!-- Bot generated title -->]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/college/news/2003/05/10/tennessee_ad_ap/ SI.com - College Football - Tennessee promotes Hamilton to head AD job - Saturday May 10, 2003 07:17 PM<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> |
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Born in [[Brevard, North Carolina]], on August 16, 1963, Hamilton was a graduate of [[Clemson University]], and had been on the university's athletic staff for 11 years prior to his hiring.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 11, 2023 |title=Tennessee Athletics Mourns the Loss of Former AD Mike Hamilton |url=https://utsports.com/news/2023/11/11/general-tennessee-athletics-mourns-the-loss-of-former-ad-mike-hamilton.aspx |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=University of Tennessee Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Elizabeth A. |date=May 9, 2003 |title=Tennessee Promotes Mike Hamilton to AD |url=https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Tennessee-Promotes-Mike-Hamilton-to-AD-10579787.php |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=The Edwardsville Intelligencer }}</ref> |
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In 1998, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors named him Fundraiser of the Year.<ref> |
In 1998, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors named him Fundraiser of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 14, 2005 |title=Mike Hamilton |url=https://nacda.com/news/2005/4/14/mike_hamilton.aspx |access-date=March 20, 2024 |website=National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics |language=en}}</ref> |
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==Death== |
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On June 7, 2011, Mike Hamilton resigned from his position as the athletic director at the University of Tennessee following months of pressure stemming from numerous issues including sanctions levied against the Tennessee basketball program and numerous head coaching changes in the school's major sports. Hamilton's poor leadership, arrogance, and financial mismanagement are viewed by many as the main reason the Vols football program hit an all-time low during his tenure, from which it has not recovered. Hamilton's duties as an AD were tested when he decided to fire longtime Tennessee football coach [[Phillip Fulmer]]. Fulmer was one of Tennessee's winningest head coaches at the time of his dismissal and although many called for his firing after two losing seasons in four years there were also many in his support. Hamilton chose [[Lane Kiffin]] as Tennessee's next head coach in December 2008. Many did not believe Kiffin to be the best hire as there were other highly rated potential candidates at the time not to mention Kiffin's controversial history with past coaching jobs. Hamilton's decision would be disastrous as after only one season at Tennessee Kiffin resigned to take the same job at the [[University of Southern California]]. Due to a poorly written contract, Kiffin only owed Tennessee $800,000 upon leaving. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4821378|title=Fans in Knoxville angry over Kiffin's decision|date=12 January 2010}}</ref> Hamilton controversially hired [[Derek Dooley (American football)|Derek Dooley]] following Kiffin's departure, despite his losing record at Louisiana Tech. |
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Hamilton died from cancer on November 10, 2023, at the age of 60.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Mike |url=https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2023/11/10/mike-hamilton-death-cause-tennessee-athletics-director-organ-donor/71538120007/ |title=Former Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton dies at 60 |website=knoxnews.com |access-date=December 2, 2023 |date=November 10, 2023}}</ref> |
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The pressure would come to a boil in March 2011 when in the middle of the [[NCAA]]'s investigation into sanctions against basketball coach [[Bruce Pearl]] and but one day before the team was scheduled to face the [[Michigan Wolverines]] in the second round of the [[2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament]], Hamilton announced that Pearl's status as coach going into the game was not certain and at season's end he would be evaluated. Hamilton was scrutinized for making this statement before the team played in the tournament as the pressure it would put on the team may have been the deciding factor in their lopsided 30-point loss to the Wolverines the following day. On the Monday following the game Pearl was dismissed from Tennessee and not soon after Hamilton announced his resignation. Even though Mike Hamilton should not have received any "buyout" with a resignation, University of Tennessee Knoxville Chancellor [[Jimmy Cheek]] provided him over $1.3 million in severance, to the confusion and surprise of many.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2011/jun/07/john-adams-buyout-just-resigning-really/|title = GoVolsXtra, University of Tennessee sports coverage}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Mike}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Mike}} |
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[[Category:1963 births]] |
[[Category:1963 births]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:2023 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Clemson University alumni]] |
[[Category:Clemson University alumni]] |
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[[Category:People from Brevard, North Carolina]] |
[[Category:People from Brevard, North Carolina]] |
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[[Category:Tennessee |
[[Category:Tennessee Volunteers athletic directors]] |
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Latest revision as of 20:10, 20 March 2024
Mike Hamilton (August 13, 1963 – November 10, 2023) was an American athletic director. He was the Men's Director of Athletics at the University of Tennessee. Hamilton replaced Doug Dickey in 2003, becoming the University of Tennessee's seventh men's athletic director.[1]
Career
[edit]Born in Brevard, North Carolina, on August 16, 1963, Hamilton was a graduate of Clemson University, and had been on the university's athletic staff for 11 years prior to his hiring.[2][3]
In 1998, the National Association of Athletic Development Directors named him Fundraiser of the Year.[4]
Death
[edit]Hamilton died from cancer on November 10, 2023, at the age of 60.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Mike Hamilton Named UT Director of Athletics". University of Tennessee Athletics. May 10, 2003. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "Tennessee Athletics Mourns the Loss of Former AD Mike Hamilton". University of Tennessee Athletics. November 11, 2023. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Davis, Elizabeth A. (May 9, 2003). "Tennessee Promotes Mike Hamilton to AD". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ "Mike Hamilton". National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. April 14, 2005. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Mike (November 10, 2023). "Former Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton dies at 60". knoxnews.com. Retrieved December 2, 2023.