North Carolina A&T

Earl M. Hilton III was announced as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics on Feb. 3, 2011, after serving as the interim for three months. As the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Hilton is the chief executive administrator for 17 NCAA Division I varsity sports. In his position, Hilton establishes the academic expectations for more than 350 student-athletes. He frames the department’s direction through interactions with coaches, staff, university officials, financial contributors, sponsors, alums, and community leaders.

In addition, Hilton has spearheaded two transitions into new conferences for the athletics department. In February 2020, the university announced athletics would move all its varsity sports except bowling from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to the Big South Conference after a 50-year association with the MEAC. Two years later, the Aggies announced their move from the Big South to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). 

 Under Hilton’s leadership, the North Carolina A&T athletics department has made tremendous strides academically and athletically. A&T routinely had the highest MEAC academic award for its top departmental APR score among MEAC schools. 

Athletically the Aggies have won a combined 47 regular-season or tournament/championship titles under Hilton, including their first-ever NCAA men’s basketball tournament win. In addition, A&T varsity teams have made 11 NCAA postseason appearances (excluding track and field) and 21 postseason appearances under various organizations, including four Celebration Bowl wins that equated to the football program winning four black college football national championships.

The school’s six track and field programs have reached heights rarely seen by an HBCU program, specifically the indoor and outdoor track and field programs. The 2022 A&T men’s track and field indoor team finished as the nation’s runner-up. That is the highest finish of any HBCU program in history. In 2021, the men’s outdoor track and field team finished third nationally, and the women finished fourth. In addition, A&T was the only team in the nation that season to have both its teams finish in the top-5, and the Aggies were the first HBCU program to have both teams finish in the top-5.

Individually, the athletics department secured its first individual national championship when Kayla White won the 2019 NCAA indoor title in the 200 meters. She was also A&T’s first NCAA national player or athlete of the year when she earned the NCAA indoor track athlete of the year in 2019. Additionally, Randolph Ross Jr. won back-to-back 400m outdoor titles and a 400m indoor title. 

In 2021, A&T’s men 4x400-meter relay team doubled as the NCAA indoor and outdoor champions. Also in 2021, Cambrea Sturgis doubled as the nation’s 100m and 200m champion. Months later, Javonte’ Harding won the nation’s indoor 200m title in 2022.   

In 2018 - 19 Hilton was recognized as one of the National Association of Collegiate Athletics Directors (NACDA) NCAA Division I FCS Under Armour Athletics Directors of the Year, and in 2019 A&T was recognized as making the largest jump in Learfield IMG College Director’s Cup standing among all Division I institutions over the previous five years.

 Hilton received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Lamar University in 1992 and a Master’s in Public Administration and Juris Doctorate from Texas Tech University in 1996. He is married to the former Kari Lynn Frost, and they are the proud parents and grandparents of seven children and 11 grandchildren.