Trenton State College '75
Eric Hamilton enters his 36th season as the head coach for The College of New Jersey football program. Hamilton has been the face of Lions football since he earned All-American honors as an offensive center in 1974.
During his tenure as head coach, the Lions have advanced to seven postseason appearances in the ECAC and the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. TCNJ enjoyed NCAA tournament appearances in 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2007, while garnering ECAC tournament bids in 1995 and 2003. The Lions posted their first NCAA tournament victory in 1990 when they defeated Ithaca 24-14.
The Lions had a strong season in 2011, going 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the conference. TCNJ produced a perfect 5-0 record at home, marking the first time they have gone undefeated in Lions’ Stadium since 1998.
In 2010, Hamilton became the 12th coach in NCAA Division III history to garner his 200th win, claiming all of those victories as head coach of the Lions’ program. Since taking over as head coach in 1977, he has compiled a career record of 208-138-6. Hamilton currently ranks fourth in the nation amongst active Division III coaches in career wins.
Under Hamilton, the Lions football program has enjoyed 22 winning seasons and eight conference championships (two as a member of the New Jersey State Athletic Conference and six in the New Jersey Athletic Conference). The first in school history came in 1980 when his squad compiled an 8-1-1 record. They added conference titles in 1983, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2007.
To date, Hamilton has produced 25 All-American performers (five Kodak/AFCA All-American, nine Associated Press All-Americans, eight Football Gazette, and three D3football.com), 68 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) All-Star selections, 141 All-NJAC First Team performers and three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
“The Lions’ football program has been a major part of my life. It has been my extended family and my passion since I was a college student here. My family has grown up with the program, and I’d like to think the program as grown up during that time as well.”
Hamilton began his coaching career at the ripe age of 23, and at the time, was the youngest collegiate head coach in the country. A graduate of Bordentown High School, he was a scholar-athlete at Trenton State College and an all-conference performer for three consecutive seasons. Hamilton left his mark at TSC in 1974 when the team captain became the first Lions football player to earn All-American honors receiving berths on the Kodak, Associated Press, United Press International teams. In 1995, he was inducted into TCNJ’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Hamilton has received numerous coaching accolades during his career including being selected Coach of the Year by the New Jersey College Football Writers Association two consecutive seasons in 1980 and 1981. Hamilton earned NJAC Coach of the Year honors in 1983, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2007 and was also cited by D3football.com as the East Region Coach of the Year as well after guiding the Lions to the NCAA’s in 2007.
In addition, Hamilton was named the recipient of the National Football Foundations Chapter Leadership Award for the Eastern Region in 2002 and was recognized by the organization for his contributions to the sport. In early 2012, Hamilton was the recipient of the Robert Casciola Distinguished American Award, which was presented by the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Hamilton has played an active role in the community taking on leadership roles in the Delaware Valley Chapter and Hall of Fame, Mercer County’s 12th Man Touchdown Club, and sponsors the Sunshine Football Classic game every July in Lions’ Stadium. The event helps grant the dreams and wishes of terminally ill, chronically ill, and handicapped children whose parents are under financial strain due to the child’s illness.
Hamilton earned a master of education degree (M.Ed.) in student personnel services. He and his wife Kathleen have five children, sons Matthew, age 33, Jeffrey, age 30, daughter Kaitlin, age 27, and sons Ryan, age 22, and Colin, who is 20.
