Hall of Fame
Through the men’s tennis program at ABAC, the world came to Tifton, Ga. And Norman “Red” Hill opened the door. Starting from scratch and developing a list of contacts across the globe, Hill helped to put ABAC on the international map with a tennis program that recorded an incredible 34 consecutive national tournament appearances. His Stallions won two national championships, one in 1984 and the other on the final point of his last match at ABAC in 1999 before he retired. During his time at ABAC from 1965-99, Hill’s teams won 29 region titles, defeating many four-year colleges as tuneups along the way. On three different occasions, Hill was named the National Coach of the Year. At the time of his retirement, Hill had won more men’s college tennis matches than any other coach in America with an unbelievable record of 848-183. Hill coached many outstanding players including Jean Lagloire, who in 1989 and 1990 became the only player in National Junior College Athletic Association history to win back-to-back national titles at the number one singles slot. A native of Talbotton, Hill played basketball at Brewton-Parker and Georgia Southwestern. He spent his final two years of eligibility on the court for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. He also ran track in Athens under the direction of legendary Coach Spec Towns. The Red Hill Athletic Center on the campus is named after him.
