Following up on a story that HoopDirt.com first reported last week (D3 DIRT: Kean U Opens). Kean University has released the following statement on the promotion of Adam Hutchinson, and the opening of the men’s basketball job:
Adam Hutchinson has been promoted to Assistant Director of Internal Affairs and Student Athlete Development as announced by Kelly Williams, Director of Athletics.
Hutchinson’s new position will coordinate and develop a comprehensive development program for over 400 athletes currently in the athletic department. In addition, he will have oversight of diversity and inclusion initiatives for the department. Other duties include assisting with the oversight of internal business operations while developing policies and procedures that enhance the academic success and graduation of every student-athlete.
He is currently the athletics diversity and inclusion designee, known as the ADID, and will be the point of communication between the NCAA national office, athletics department, conference office and campus with information around inclusive programs, emerging diversity issues and other related equity initiatives that need to be shared or addressed.
“I’ve been playing or coaching in Division III since 1989, and I’ve long been aware of the lack of diversity in the coaching ranks,” stated Hutchinson. “In 2016 I had a professional experience which for me really highlighted the mechanisms that undergird the un-inclusive practices contributing to that lack of diversity. I’ve spent the years since searching for ways to address these issues, and increasingly concluding that an administrative position may offer an opportunity to contribute more meaningfully to something I think is important. When the opportunity presented itself at Kean, after much internal struggle, I decided to pursue this new role and see if I could lend my voice and my efforts in new ways to improve the sport I’ve committed my professional life to.”
During his second season at the helm of the men’s basketball program at Kean, Hutchinson collected his 200th career victory with an 81-79 decision over William Paterson on Feb. 8th. The previous year Hutchinson collected seven wins, including a season sweep of TCNJ and the first home victory over Ramapo since 2013-14. Kean had two Cougars selected All-NJAC, including Micah Kerr with a second team selection and Jailen Jamison being named the NJAC Rookie of the Year.
Hutchinson arrived at Kean prior to the 2018-19 season after stops at Amherst College, Washington & Lee University, Case Western Reserve University and Stevens Institute of Technology.
At Amherst he was an assistant coach for one season with the Mammoths. Hutchinson’s defense finished the season ranked number one in Division III in defensive field goal percentage.
Prior to Amherst, Hutchinson was the head coach of Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia for 14 seasons (2003-2017). During his time with the Generals, he become the second winningest coach in program history with 154 victories, reached the ODAC title game in 2009 and the semifinals in 2014 and 2017. In 2008, he was named both the ODAC Coach of the Year and the VaSID College Division Coach of the Year. His tenure also saw losing streaks to Randolph-Macon College and Roanoke College snapped.
He also had the reins for two seasons at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland (2001-2003) and at Stevens Institute of Technology (1999-2001). With the Spartans of CWRU, he recruited two multiple time All-UAA selections and the school’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. With the Ducks, the team saw improvements of wins and a third-place finish in the Skyline.
A 1993 graduate of Amherst College, he played from 1989-93 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Black Studies. He would go on to earn his Master of Science in Sports Management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst after receiving an NCAA Graduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics (only eight awarded nationally each year based on distinction earned as an undergraduate).
Born and raised in the Garden State, he starred and graduated from the renowned St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark.
An announcement in the coming weeks will be made regarding the direction of the men’s basketball program.
