Tim Hill, Sr. was one of the winningest junior college coaches of all-time and was best known for having led the State College of Florida for 31 seasons. Hill, who passed away in 2015, is still recognized as the winningest coach in the history of Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) baseball. For his career, he amassed a record of 1193-550-3 (.683) and ranked sixth all-time in wins among junior college coaches as of 2016.
Hill came to the State College of Florida in 1978 to serve as an assistant coach to ABCA Hall of Fame member Robert C. Wynn. He assumed the head coach role for the then Lancers and served in this post until his retirement following the 2012 season. In 31 seasons as head coach, Hill led his teams to a 1,109-484-3 (.695) record. He received 17 Suncoast Conference Coach of the Year awards and 20 coaching awards presented by other organizations.
Under Hill, the Manatees captured 17 conference titles, seven state titles, made five trips to the Alpine Bank JUCO World Series and managed three top-three national tournament finishes.
In 2005, Hill was inducted to the NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a member of the inaugural class of inductees into the SCF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the FCSAA Hall of Fame in 2000.
Hill was named an ABCA/Diamond Sports Regional Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2010. Hill was honored four times by both the Florida Diamond Club and Louisville Slugger as the state’s Junior College Coach of the Year and was FCSAA Coach of the Year six times.
He received the NJCAA Alpine Bank JUCO World Series Sportsmanship Award in 1999. He was also chosen by his coaching peers to serve as an assistant coach for the 1991 USA National Olympic Trials.
An accomplished player in his own right, Hill was named to the George Washington University Baseball All-Century Team as a second baseman after batting .403 for his collegiate career. He also played three seasons at Luray, Virginia, as part of the Shenandoah Valley League while enrolled at George Washington. After compiling the second highest batting average in the nation (.471), he signed a pro contract with the former Washington Senators.
Hill played two seasons of pro ball before starting his coaching career at Yorktown (Va.) High School where his teams won five titles in six seasons. Hill then spent four seasons at South Florida Community College before assuming the reins at SCF.
Over the course of Hill’s career, 293 of his former players moved on to four-year schools and 202 of his former players were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft. Of those, 145 earned a spot on pro rosters and 17 have advanced to the Major League level.
Hill was a 41-year ABCA Lifetime Member. His son, Tim Hill II, served as an assistant coach for 14 seasons at the State College of Florida before taking the reins of the program upon Hill’s retirement following the 2012 season.
