Norman “Red” Hill, the former men’s tennis coach and athletic director at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, was honored with the Stafford Award by the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce at their annual awards banquet.
The Stafford Award recognizes outstanding contributions in business leadership and economic development. Hill, who retired from ABAC as the winningest coach in the history of collegiate tennis, has served on the Tift County Development Authority for nearly 20 years. During that time, he has worked with local elected officials and economic development professionals to bring several large industries into Tift County, creating thousands of local jobs.
“The awards and titles Coach Hill has achieved over his lifetime pale in comparison to the breadth of his influence and mentorship,” said Alan Kramer, ABAC’s Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students. “His friendship simply means the world to me. The impact he has made on former players, students, coaches, and our community is transcendent.”
Hill was hired in 1962 to lead the ABAC P.E. department and to start a men’s tennis program. That began one of the most successful coaching careers in collegiate sports history as Hill’s Stallions advanced to the national tournament an incredible 34 consecutive times. He won national championships in 1984 and in 1999, his final year at ABAC.
Along the way, he picked up 29 region titles, was named the National Coach of the Year three times, and at the time of his retirement, Hill had won more men’s college tennis matches than any other coach in America with an astounding record of 848-183. During his tenure, 69 of his players achieved All-America status.
He was the fourth person ever inducted into the NJCAA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993, the Georgia Southwestern Hall of Fame in 2007, and was among the inaugural inductees in the ABAC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
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