By Joe Zedalis and Paul Franklin

Staff Writers

EWING — The head football coach at The College of New Jersey has been suspended for two games, and his son was not rehired as an assistant coach following an altercation with Kean University security officers last fall, according to two sources from the college.

Eric Hamilton, 59, will miss the first two games of the 2013 season, under disciplinary actions taken by the college. He and his son Matthew were involved in a verbal exchange with Kean officers after an Oct. 20 game between the two teams at TCNJ, according to the sources.

Matthew Golden, the TCNJ associate vice president for communication and college relations, said in an e-mail statement that the college “does not publicly discuss employee disciplinary action.”

“We were notified by Kean’s athletic director of a verbal confrontation between TCNJ staff members and Kean police officers at the conclusion of a game between the two schools last fall,” the statement said. “TCNJ reviewed that incident and took appropriate steps in response. We do not publicly discuss personnel issues and, therefore, cannot share any further details regarding this matter.”

Sources close to the situation at TCNJ, however, confirmed the disciplinary action taken against the father and son.

Eric Hamilton, the head coach at TCNJ for 36 years, will miss the Sept. 6 game at Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., and the Lions’ home opener Sept. 13 against Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham. He is a former longtime member of the Hamilton Board of Education. He could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Matt Hamilton was a Lions assistant coach for seven years, including four as defensive coordinator. A graduate of Hamilton High School West, he was a kicker for the TCNJ team before graduating in 2002. As of last season, he was the longtime head ice hockey coach at Hamilton West.

Terry Small, the commissioner of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, of which TCNJ is a member, said the verbal exchange between TCNJ and Kean was handled by officials from the two schools.

"The conference was not involved, and as far as I know, it was handled institutionally," Small said. "The conference does have a lengthy and detailed process if a school wants to file a formal complaint, but nothing about the incident came to the conference.

"It was nothing but a discussion piece the last time the conference met," Small said.

According to sources, Kean University, following its usual procedure for road games, brought its own security force to the TCNJ football complex.

Kean sports information director Kimberly DeRitter referred questions about the incident to athletic director Chris Morgan. Morgan was in meetings yesterday and could not be reached for comment.

Eric Hamilton was 23 when he was named head coach at his alma mater. He has a career record of 205-141-6. According to public records, he earned a salary of $89,730 from TCNJ in 2012. TCNJ was 4-6 last season, including the 34-30 homecoming game loss to Kean.

According to the TCNJ football media guide, Eric Hamilton is active in the Delaware Valley Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, Mercer County’s 12th Man Touchdown Club and hosts the annual Sunshine Classic all-star football game on the TCNJ campus.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the age of Eric Hamilton. He is 59.

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