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'I am deeply thankful:' FSU's Leonard Hamilton to resign at the end of the season

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton calls out to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Matt Freed/AP
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FR171937 AP
Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton calls out to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Pittsburgh Tuesday, March 5, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)

Coach Hamilton joined FSU in 2002.

Florida State head men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton announced on Monday that he is stepping down as head coach effective at the end of the current 24-25 season.

FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford announced that the University will immediately begin a national search for Hamilton's replacement.

"Coach Hamilton's personal character and integrity, and his leadership, set a tremendous standard for all of FSU Athletics," Alford said in a statement.

Hamilton, FSU's winningest head coach, is in his 23rd season with the Noles. He is the fifth-winningest head coach in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

“I am proud of the quality of the young men that it was my privilege to lead, for their faith in this program and in their belief in the philosophy that we tried to instill in them over the years," said Hamilton.

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton speaks to the media during a news conference at the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball media day in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Chuck Burton/AP
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AP
Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton speaks to the media during a news conference at the Atlantic Coast Conference NCAA college basketball media day in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Hamilton currently ranks 10th on the NCAA’s list of winningest active Division I coaches. He has led Florida State to 16 postseason appearances and 12 20-win seasons.

The Seminoles are 13-9 overall this season, including a 4-7 record in ACC play.

Hamilton's resignation comes just over a month after six former FSU players filed a lawsuit accusing the long-time coach of not paying them in name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation worth $1.5 million.

Adrian Andrews is a multimedia journalist with WFSU Public Media. He is a Gadsden County native and a first-generation college graduate from Florida A&M University. Adrian is also a military veteran, ending his career as a Florida Army National Guard Non-Comissioned Officer.

Adrian has experience in print writing, digital content creation, documentary, and film production. He has spent the last four years on the staff of several award-winning publications such as The Famuan, Gadsden County News Corp, and Cumulus Media before joining the WFSU news team.