Hamilton Heights Christian Academy was notified today that the Atlanta Tip-Off Club has named the Lady Hawks coach Keisha Hunt one of five finalists for the 2017 Naismith High School Girls’ Coach of the Year.
Other nominees are Craig Campbell of Clovis West High School (Fresno, Calif.); Randy Coffman of Murfreesboro Riverdale High School (Murfreesboro, Tenn.); Jonathan Scribner of St. John’s College High School (Washington, D.C.); and Karen Weitz of Centennial High School (Las Vegas, Nev.).
The Atlanta Tipoff Club was founded in the late 1950’s as a way for local basketball enthusiasts to share their love and enjoyment of basketball.
The club’s annual Naismith Awards recognize the top players and coaches in women’s and men’s basketball at the national, state and local level.
Hunt began her coaching tenure at Hamilton Heights as an assistant coach in 2005. She took over the program in 2009 and has guided the team to a nationally recognized powerhouse.
Her career record is 175-53. She has guided the Lady Hawks to seven National Association of Christian Athletes national championships. Twenty of her players have received college scholarships, including six players who signed with NCAA Division 1 teams.
The 2016-17 Lady Hawks are 21-1 and ranked No. 4 in the country in the MaxPreps CBS Computer Rankings and No. 10 in the latest USA Today High School rankings.
Six current players have NCAAs Division college scholarship offers.
Juniors Elizabeth Balogun and Jazmine Massengill, are ranked in the ESPN Women’s Top 25 for 2018, while two freshmen, Treasure Hunt and Kamilla Cardosa, are ranked in the ESPN Women’s Top 20 for 2020.
Duke Stone, the Hamilton Heights’ Head of School and Athletic Director, said of Hunt’s nomination: “This is a tremendous honor for coach Hunt and Hamilton Heights. It is also a testimony to her diligence and hard work in building our girls basketball program into one of national prominence. Every major Division 1 program in the United States has visited Hamilton Heights to recruit our players, and that is largely due to her commitment and expertise.
“But more than a basketball coach, coach Hunt is helping our girls develop into productive young women who are excelling beyond sports when they leave Hamilton Heights.”
The Lady Hawks are scheduled to play in the 2017 National Association of Christian Athletes National Tournament beginning next Wednesday.
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)