For the past 23 seasons, the Florida State Seminoles have been led by longtime head coach Leonard Hamilton, but on Monday, his lengthy tenure abruptly came to an end. Hamilton had some real bright spots throughout his time at Florida State, most notably leading the program to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2016 to 2020. However, the program has faced difficulties since then, finishing near the bottom of the ACC standings over the last three seasons, and this year seemed to follow suit with a 13-9 record.
Hamilton will continue to strive for improvement this season, but according to a press release from Florida State on Monday, he will be stepping down at the end of the 2024-25 season. “Coach Hamilton’s personal character and integrity, and his leadership, set a tremendous standard for all of FSU Athletics,” stated Florida State athletic director Michael Alford in the program’s announcement. “Few people have been as important in building the positive reputation of Seminole Athletics. FSU’s stature as one of the leading brands in college sports has been possible, in part, to his leadership of our men’s basketball program. He steadily developed a culture of excellence that reflects his personal values: commitment to academic success, competitive success, community service, leadership, and ongoing personal excellence. The success of the men who have been part of our basketball program is proof of that legacy.”
Hamilton echoed these sentiments, expressing gratitude for his two decades at Florida State. “I am deeply thankful for the tremendous support of our fans, alumni, and everyone associated with Florida State throughout my time here,” he remarked. “I am proud of the quality of the young men that it was my privilege to lead, for their faith in this program and in their belief in the philosophy that we tried to instill in them over the years. I have been blessed beyond words for the opportunity and the experience we’ve had here. I’m very proud of what we have been able to accomplish here over the last 23 seasons. We were a consistent contender, and we created success for our players during their time here. So many of them have gone on to be successful in life. I hope that it will be remembered as my legacy. I look forward to working with our administration during this transition and being as helpful as possible through this process.”
Given all that Hamilton has done for the program, filling his shoes will be a significant challenge for whoever is appointed next season. However, considering the program’s recent downward trajectory, it’s hard to deny that some change was necessary to shake things up.
