Though Philip Hutcheson is being inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for his outstanding achievements on the basketball court, he is to be honored for accomplishments off the court as well. Recently named athletic director for his alma mater Lipscomb University, Hutcheson is a proven leader. Graduating as the 1990 valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA, he received every honor a student-athlete can receive along the way, most notably, The James R. Byers Award for excellence in character, Christian leadership and athletic accomplishment and Lipscomb’s 1990 “Bachelor of Ugliness” presented to the male student who best represents the all-around nature of the student body.
On the court, he led his Bison basketball team to a career record of 139 – 16, accumulating 4,106 points along the way: a record for all of college basketball at that time. Scoring double figures every game of his four-year collegiate career, he also holds the Lipscomb single season records for points scored (1,277), field goals attempted (826), field goals made (518) and free throws attempted (339).
Hutcheson currently holds the Lipscomb University career records for free throws attempted (1,176), field goals attempted (2,621), most games played (155), double-figure games (155), 2nd highest point total (4,106) and rebound total (1,112).
As an athlete, Hutcheson accumulated numerous awards including College Times 1988-89 Player of the Year, College Times 1989-90 College Division Co-Player of the Year, NAIA All-American four consecutive years, NABC 1990 All-American Division II Player of the Year, Street & Smith Magazine Super 5 All-American in 1988 and 1989, NAIA’s Frank Hesselroth Leadership Award in 1989, Tennessee Sports Writers Association First All-State Basketball Team in 1990, 1990 NAIA Player of the Year and chosen in 1989 and 1990 as the CoSIDA/GTE Academic Player of the Year.
Hutcheson, inducted into the Lipscomb University Athletic Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1997, had his jersey number 44 retired by the school – the first in Lipscomb history. Hutcheson’s successes continued after college, including stints in professional basketball for the Music City Jammers in Nashville, and later for a team in Manchester, England.
Off the court, Hutcheson went on to earn a Master’s Degree from the University of Georgia followed by a principal role in his family’s business, Sessions Paving Company, and recently returned to David Lipscomb University as their director of athletics. He is also heavily involved in the Nashville community. He has served on boards for the Nashville Sports Council, the Green Hills YMCA, and the Nashville Zoo. Sam has coached area athletic teams for over 15 years including the YMCA and the West Nashville Sports League.