May 5, 2015
BASKETBALL (W): MARSHALL, Texas (5/5/15) - Landing a talented basketball mind from the Baylor University women's basketball team, Edsel Hamilton has been named the new head women's basketball coach at East Texas Baptist University. Hamilton has been on the staff at Baylor University the past eight years moving up in his position as the director of basketball operations.
"In our interview process the search committee and I were very impressed with coach Hamilton's basketball knowledge, his attention to detail, and his commitment to excellence," says ETBU director of athletics Kent Reeves. "We are excited to have coach Hamilton join our ETBU family as we strive to bring greatness to our women's basketball program."
Hamilton brings prestige and excellence with him to ETBU after learning from one the best NCAA Division I women's basketball head coaches in Baylor University?s Kim Mulkey. In Hamilton's time at Baylor the Bears won the 2012 NCAA National Championship, played in two Final Fours, five Elite Eights, and seven Sweet 16 games. Baylor also has won six Big 12 tournament championships and five regular season championships.
"I'm extremely excited to be the new women's basketball head coach at ETBU," says Hamilton. "There is a strong history of success in women's basketball here, and I'm looking forward to working to get the program back to that level. As I've been able to get to know Dr. Blackburn and Kent Reeves over the past several weeks, I have found them to be outstanding people, and I'm thrilled to be working for them."
Starting out as a graduate assistant in 2007 at Baylor working as the video coordinator Hamilton has been promoted three times to his current position as the director of basketball operations. After two years as the graduate assistant he moved to the coordinator of video operations for two years. In 2011-12 he was then promoted to coordinator of basketball operations and then in 2012 named the director of basketball operations.
"ETBU is honored to have coach Edsel Hamilton join our Tiger athletic department. Working in partnership with the search committee, we sought and prayed that God would send us a deeply committed Christian coach to lead the women's basketball program. The Lord faithfully provided this type of Christian servant leader in Edsel," says new ETBU president-elect Dr. Blair Blackburn. "Combined with his passion for Christ-centered discipleship, coach Hamilton possesses the knowledge and experience of what it takes to build a championship program through his years with the Baylor women's basketball program. I am excited about the future of ETBU women?s basketball program under the leadership of coach Hamilton."
Getting his start at the University of Southern California as a student, Hamilton helped the women's basketball program for three years. He started out as a scout team player for two years practicing against the women's team before becoming a student-assistant manager in 2006-07. USC also made the NCAA Tournament in 2005 advancing to the second round.
"I am so happy for Edsel. He has patiently waited for his opportunity to coach and recruit," says Baylor head women?s basketball coach Kim Mulkey. "His loyalty, his discipline and his knowledge will make him an outstanding head coach. He and his wife, Jill, are wonderful people. They will be great assets to the ETBU community."
While a student at USC, Hamilton also had the chance to work several basketball camps for men's and women's basketball. He had the privilege of being a part of Tim Floyd's USC Hi-Potential Camp, Pepperdine Men?s Individual Camp, the USC Women's Elite, Individual, and Team Camps, and the USC Men's Individual Camp.
In his coaching career, he has had the chance to also coach with former Louisiana Tech women's basketball coach Leon Barmore and current NCAA Division I head coaches Jody Wynn (Long Beach State) and Richard Barron (University of Maine).
"I think you have a fine coach. I am very happy for him and his wife," says former Louisiana Tech women's basketball coach Leon Barmore. "I was around him for three years and he has one sharppest basketball minds out there. His character is of high quality and he will work extremely hard for you. Y'all have a good person as your new coach."
Hamilton is a 2007 graduate of the University of Southern California with a degree in economics. He then earned a master's degree from Baylor University in sports management in 2009. He is married to the former Jill Wiest and is a native of Pflugerville graduating from Hyde Park Baptist School (Austin, Texas) in 2003.