Former Bison All-American named Lipscomb athletic director

Kim Chaudoin | 10/09/2008

NASHVILLE (Oct. 10, 2008) – Philip Hutcheson, former All-American Bison basketball player, has been named Lipscomb University’s athletic director, President L. Randolph Lowry announced today.

“Philip Hutcheson brings a wealth of knowledge about the athletic process as well as experience in the business sector and the community that will help take Lipscomb athletics to the next level. I believe he will be able to build on our rich tradition of athletic excellence and lead our program as it develops into a competitive NCAA Division I-level institution,” said Lowry.

Hutcheson will officially assume athletic director duties on November 1. He succeeds Steve Potts, who resigned in May to accept the senior associate athletic director position at Pepperdine University.

“It’s exciting being back at Lipscomb. Lipscomb has a great tradition and history that we can build on. I think I bring an understanding of what Lipscomb has to offer as well as an understanding of the Nashville community,” said Hutcheson. “I love competition and I love helping student athletes and programs develop to their fullest potential.”

Hutcheson was selected to fill the position after an intense search process.

“For the past four months we have conducted a national search for an athletic director that is best suited to lead our athletic program as it continues to become a force in the NCAA,” said Joseph M. Ivey, senior vice president for advancement at Lipscomb and chair of the athletic director search committee.

“A number of highly-qualified candidates from institutions throughout the country were considered for this position. Philip Hutcheson emerged as the candidate who can help Lipscomb achieve the vision it has to build a program that is not only competitive on a national level but that also produces student-athletes who are successful in competition, in the classroom, and in life.”

As a member of the Bison basketball team from 1986-1990, Hutcheson attracted national attention as he approached and broke college basketball’s all-time scoring record, scoring 4,106 points during his career. Hutcheson’s record was broken four years later by fellow Bison John Pierce, whose record remains unbroken.

Hutcheson was named an All-American each of his four seasons. He was also the 1990 NAIA Player of the Year and College Sports Information Director Academic Player of the year in 1988-89 and 1989-90. He graduated from Lipscomb University as valedictorian with a 4.0 grade-point average and later earned his MBA from The University of Georgia. Hutcheson began his career playing professional basketball for the Music City Jammers in Nashville and later for a team in Manchester, England. Hutcheson returned to Nashville and began working in management at Sessions Paving Company in Nashville in 1997.

Hutcheson has been heavily involved in the Nashville community. A 1999 alumnus of  Leadership Nashville, Hutcheson has served on boards for the Green Hills YMCA and the Nashville Zoo. He also has coached area athletic teams for the past 15 years for a variety of programs including the YMCA and the West Nashville Sports League. He is also a deacon at Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville.

Hutcheson and his wife, Vera, have three children: Hannah, 11; Sam, 9; and Hank, 6.

Lipscomb University is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I level. Lipscomb University currently offers 17 intercollegiate sports. Lipscomb University is a Christian community of scholars that offers more than 100 bachelor’s degree programs in nearly 70 majors, including business, biology/pre-med, education, engineering, and nursing through the Lipscomb/Vanderbilt nursing partnership. Master's degree programs are offered in accounting, Bible, business, conflict management, education, psychology, and sustainability, and a doctoral degree is offered in pharmacy. Named a “Top 20 Master’s University” by U.S. News and World Report, Lipscomb University is located in Nashville, where it draws on the city as its campus and the world as its classroom.