Ethan Hamilton’s legacy is one many in the Point Loma community know. The former athletic director is being honored posthumously for his contributions to Sea Lions athletics and San Diego sports, as well as for the impact he left on campus.
“Ethan was great in the ordinary moments,” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach Kristi Kiely, “in the everyday meetings we would have. I can’t remember a conversation that we had where he wouldn’t get emotional about the impact a coach can have on a student-athlete.”
Hamilton’s dedication to seeing Point Loma sports thrive started during his days as a student. He graduated from Point Loma in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He returned to campus as an associate athletic director and men’s basketball associate head coach in 2005.
For the next nearly two decades, Hamilton would spend his time elevating, encouraging, and championing Point Loma athletics’ teams during some of the most formative years in the department’s history.
Hamilton consistently pursued excellence in his hiring practices and in conversations with student-athletes and their parents. He created the Loma Athletic Fund to fund the improvement of athletic facilities and ongoing capital projects related to athletics.
Perhaps one of his most significant contributions as athletic director was helping Point Loma transition successfully from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II PacWest Conference. Former women’s basketball student-athlete and now sports journalist for organizations such as the WNBA and West Coast Conference, Jordan Ligons (16) was a part of the incoming class of student-athletes who made the transition from NAIA to NCAA.
“We all know that sometimes the higher the title the less time a person will often have, but he never made me feel that way. He really had an open door policy,” said Ligons. “Ethan is absolutely deserving of this honor.”
“He spent his time making sure you were prepared. It was a great example of leadership to his coaches and staff,” said former director of communications in athletics Danny Barnts, also present during the transition period. “God was always at the center of his evaluation, and he took the time to find the right people. That’s why they are so consistent across the board.”
For the next nearly two decades, Hamilton would spend his time elevating, encouraging, and championing Point Loma athletics’ teams during some of the most formative years in the department’s history.
His ability to consistently find good leadership in his coaches and administrative staff is evident in Point Loma’s success. Since the transition to NCAA, PLNU has made a total of 45 NCAA postseason appearances and won 21 PacWest Championships.
As the legacy of Point Loma sports solidified under Hamilton’s leadership, he would also get to witness some of the most significant achievements in Point Loma athletics history: baseball earning runner-up honors at the DII National Championship game in 2022 and women’s soccer in 2023 bringing home the hardware as the first team to win a DII National Championship title in school and program history.
Beyond divisional honors, Hamilton also coordinated the construction of athletics offices, renovations in various areas of Golden Gym, and a rebrand of PLNU Athletics logos and colors. Coaches and staff alike agree that his goal was to make Point Loma as competitive a program as possible.
“He believed we could do it at that high of a level without sacrificing the things that make athletes good students and good citizens,” said Kiely.
During the 77th Annual San Diego Sports Association Salute to the Champions, Hamilton was honored with the Ron Fowler Community Champion award. His wife, Andrea, and two kids, Lily and Eli, shared more about Ethan’s impact. “A parent of a former PLNU athlete recently told the kids and I that Ethan’s superpower was making you feel like you were part of his inner circle,” said Andrea. “What a beautiful compliment… his capacity for relationships was big and his care for others was genuine.”
“A parent of a former PLNU athlete recently told the kids and I that Ethan’s superpower was making you feel like you were part of his inner circle.”
It’s clear that Hamilton was more than an athletic director. He became a true advocate for Point Loma sports. He had the ability to inspire student-athletes, coaches, donors, parents, and fans to partner with him in his vision for the athletics department to succeed – a vision that continues today as Point Loma student-athletes continue to perform at the highest levels, setting record-breaking win streaks and earning academic honors along the way.
PLNU congratulates Andrea, Lily, and Eli Hamilton on Ethan’s 2025 Distinguished Achievement award.
