For a man who never played sports on a competitive level, Cliff Hamlow has come a long way.
The 36-year old Cougar Athletic Director and basketball coach is in his 18th year in Azusa, his 16th as basketball coach, and 15th as Athletic Director. It is during the 1970-71 season that he figures to join a select group of successful coaches who have guided teams to 300 or more wins during their careers.
Hamlow enters the 1970-71 season with a career mark of 289-155 (.637) and through the previous 15 seasons his teams have had winning records on 13 occasions. His 1969-70 team won 29-of-35 games, the best percentage (.829) team he's coached at Azusa. Since the merger of Azusa College and Los Angeles Pacific College in the fall fo 1965 his teams have won 117 and lost 44, a .727 percentage. Over the past three years the record has been 78-22.
Hamlow's Cougars won the Golden State Athletic Association (since dissolved) eight of the 13 years they participated, winning 78 of 106 games.
Educationally, Hamlow graduated from Denair High School (Modesto) in 1952. He attended Azusa College (then known as Pacific Bible College) where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in education in 1956. He continued his studies at the University of Southern California, receiving a master's degree in 1965. After further studies at USC he completed work for his doctorate in education at Walden University (Fla.) this past spring.
Athletically, Hamlow served as basketball coach during his senior year at Azusa College. The following year he added the head baseball, cross country, and tennis positions. He remained as baseball coach until 1965 and was an assistant in football during the 1960-61 seasons.
Hamlow Coaching Record
Year Record Pct. Cumulative
1954-55 7-2 .778 7-2
1955-56 20-5 .800 27-7
1956-57 21-9 .700 48-16
1957-58 6-19 .240 54-35
1958-59 15-13 .536 69-48
1959-60 13-18 .419 82-66
1960-61 16-10 .615 98-76
1961-62 20-10 .667 118-86
1962-63 9-20 .310 127-106
1963-64 21-11 .656 148-117
1964-65 24-4 .857 172-121
1965-66 23-6 .793 195-127
1966-67 16-16 .500 211-143
1967-68 21-9 .700 232-152
1968-69 28-7 .800 260-159
1969-70 29-6 .829 289-165
