Hamilton High School (Chandler, Arizona)

Hamilton High School is a public high school in Chandler, Arizona, United States. It is Arizona's largest high school, with a 4,200 student capacity.

History Hamilton's campus resides on land originally owned by the Hamilton family. Family patriarch, John Augustus Hamilton, helped found the city of Chandler serving as the sheriff for all of what is now considered the southeast Phoenix Metropolitan Area. According to the Chandler Museum and the Chandler Historical Society, Jerry Loper Field marks the location of the Hamilton family's general store. During that time period, locals referred to what is currently the Arizona Avenue/SR 87 and Ocotillo Boulevard intersection as "Hamilton's Corner".

As the Chandler area became more populated, Chandler High School was unable to handle the community's increasing educational needs. Voters in 1996 granted Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) a 33 million US$ bond to purchase the 359,341 ft2 (3,338.3 m2) property and awarded Stantec the construction contract for the original Hamilton High School campus. The school becoming operational in 1998 with Fred DePrez as principal and 1,600 freshmen through junior level students greatly relieved the pressure on Chandler High School.

Academics

Hamilton's curriculum is aligned with the standards set by the Arizona Department of Education and implements the state's Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP) required for all students grades 9–12 graduating from a publicly funded high school. CUSD high schools also implements an open enrollment policy, meaning students from outside the intended school boundaries may attend without tuition or other penalties.

Arizona requires that all high school students take 6 credit bearing courses during their freshmen through junior years, and provides the option for students on track for graduation the ability to reduce their course load to 4 credit bearing courses. However, CUSD requires all students must complete 22 credits whereas the public university system controlled by the Arizona Board of Regents requires only 16 credits in the following areas:

English - 4 credits Mathematics - 4 credits Science - 3 credits Social Studies - 3 credits Career and Technical Educator/Fine Arts - 1 credit Physical Education - 1 credit Comprehensive Health - credits Elective Courses - 5 credits

Cross-credit courses At Hamilton and all CUSD high school students may swap two semesters ( credits per semester) of Spiritline, Beginning through Advance Dance, Drill Team, Color Guard, Marching Band, Winter guard, or AFJROTC essentially waiving the required one Physical Education credit required for graduation.

Students which choose applied sciences in areas such as Applied Biology or Applied Agricultural Sciences gain equivalent Science credits. Likewise, Economics credits can be awarded like Agricultural Business Management, Business, Business Applications, Marketing, Economics Applications, Family and Consumer Sciences, and vocational courses.

Community college credits can be awarded through a partnership with Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) and cooperative credits for vocational courses are provided by East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT). Students must be dually enrolled for the Arizona community college or the Arizona public university system to accept the credits towards a degree. CUSD Transportation Department provides routes between Hamilton, EVIT, and CGCC with after school hours transportation intended for students participating in activities.

Separate from EVIT and CGCC, the University of Arizona implemented a pilot program to get university credits for students pursuing introductory engineering courses starting in 2014.

Accolades The Arizona Education Foundation awarded its A+ School of Excellence award to Hamilton in 2005, 2009, and 2013. In 2014 it was the 15th highest scoring school on Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) tests and the top non-magnet school participating in the annual public school examination. The Presidential Excellence Award in Mathematics and Science was presented to Deborah Nipar in 2019 for her work as an AP Chemistry and Honors Science Research instructor, one of five recipients from Arizona.

Students have achieved many honors including: National Merit Honors, Western Governors Association's annual Spirit Award, honorable mentions for the Governor's Celebration of Innovation Award, and ASU Gammage High School Musical Theatre Awards.

Statistics

US News reports in 2019 a 95% graduation rate, 51% reading proficiency, 51% mathematics proficiency, 35% passed an AP examination, and 44% attempting an AP examination with an overall rating is 90.78/100. According to the report Hamilton ranked 15th in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, 23rd in the state of Arizona, and 1,590th nationally. Starting in 2019's Arizona Measurement for Educational Readiness to Inform Teachers (AzMERIT), which replaced the Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) testing, indicating students were 88.6% prepared.

The same report says 22% are free lunch program participants, 3% are reduce-price lunch program, and 25% meet the qualifications of being economically disadvantaged.

Other events Hamilton hosted the Breaking Barriers for Excellence Equity Symposium 2019 for improving student teacher relationships.

The non-denominational Phoenix Church of Christ holds events on Wednesday nights and Sunday in the auditorium.

Hamilton has also hosted multiple Arizona Marching Band Association (AzMBA) and Arizona Band and Orchestra Directors Association (ABODA) events. This includes the 2019 ABODA Division II & IV Marching Band Semifinals, 2021 ABODA Division I & III Marching Band Semifinals, and the 2023 AzMBA Division 2A & 5A Championships. They are slated to hold the 2024 AzMBA Division 3A & 4A Championships as well.

Athletics Hamilton is an Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) member school offering boys and girls sports adhering to Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Title IX compliance. Student athletes can participate in varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen only teams as well as individual sports under the AIA's 6A Conference. Hamilton Athletics consist of these sports:

Badminton (Girls)‡ Baseball Basketball (Boys and Girls) Beach Volleyball (Boys and Girls)‡ Cheer (Girls and Coed) Cross Country (Boys and Girls)† Flag football Football Golf (Boys and Girls)† Hockey Lacrosse (Boys and Girls) Pomline Soccer (Boys and Girls) Softball Swim and Dive (Boys and Girls)† Tennis (Boys and Girls)‡ Track and field (Boys and Girls)† Volleyball (Boys and Girls)‡ Wrestling (Boys and Girls)

Each sport is funded by the school, yet additional funds are raised through boosters creating 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations, and tax credits.

Badminton CoachSeasonsWLTPct.National TitleState TitleRunners-upRegion TitleNotesLauren Rosales2011-1416500.684032Total141650.6840913 Baseball CoachSeasonsWLTPct.National TitleState TitleRunners-upRegion TitleNotesMike Woods1997-5792091.749191310Current head coachTotal235792091.749191310AIA Baseball Championship Records Since Hamilton started play, the team has amassed 7 Arizona State Championships in its first 20 years placing the school third behind St. David (12) and Scottsdale Chaparral (10) since 1985. In 2020, the team climbed from a preseason ranking of #4 to #1 in the nation by MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 poll with an 8–0 record prior to the closing of all public schools and sports programs indefinitely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the de facto National Champions that year.

The program has produced 32 Major League Baseball Draftees most notably the 2019 National League Most Valuable Player Cody Bellinger. While coach Mike Woods was a 2025 inductee into the National High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Basketball CoachSeasonsWLTPct.State TitleRunners-upOpen Division Title†Open Division Runners-up†Open Division Semifinals†Open Division Birth†Region TitleNotesNicole Harrison1998–200017240.41500 - - - -4Tim Rutt2000–0428440.38900 - - - -7Ed Dawson2004–0735450.43800 - - - -0Jeff Kain2007–15276670.80501 - - - -0Trevor Neider2015–98220.81722000311AIA Girls Basketball Championship RecordsTotal222611110.70223000011† denotes the inception starting during the 2022–23 season by the AIA. Flag football CoachSeasonsWLTPct.National ChampionsState TitleRunners-upRegion TitleNotesMatt Stone2023-50300.9321202Total346300.9431202 Hamilton coach Matt Stone staunchly lobbied the AIA for over 10 years and developing enthusiasm for the sport. In 2024, the AIA officially sanctioned the sport for all schools.

The team was instantly successful and reached 2003 Arizona's Big School State Championship in the inaugural year of being a sanctioned sport but lost to Mountain View 20–16. Then Hamilton would complete back to back undefeated seasons and 2 State Championships. During this time period players would receive many region, division, state, and national awards.

In October 2025, USA Today ranked Hamilton No. 1 in their national ranking just 4 regular season games into the season before successfully defeating many national powerhouses.

Football Football is the largest athletic program at Hamilton consisting of hundreds of students, 35 paid coaches, and additional volunteer coaches. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was established called the Hamilton Gridiron Club contributing additional funds along with the program. Between the Hamilton Gridiron Club and ticket sales, Hamilton football is a financially self-sustaining program. CoachSeasonsWLTPct.State TitleRunners-upOpen Division Title†Open Division Runners-up†Open Division Semifinals†Open Division Birth†Region TitleNotesJohn Wrenn1997–200591110.89222 - - - -4Steve Belles2006–17131180.87953 - - - -7Record 53-game win streakDick Baniszewski2017840.66600 - - -0Named interim head coachMike Zdebski2018–2339170.6980100140Travis Dixon2024-2130.8750000111Total23290530.84578001412AIA Football Championship Records† denotes the inception starting during the 2022–23 season by the AIA.

History John Wrenn was the first employee hired from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Flossmoor, Illinois and began building a staff consisting of local coaches and professional players for the program. Hamilton began competing in 1998 in the 5A conference as a freelance team and despite their 7–2 record, they were not able to compete in the state championship playoffs. The following year, the AIA placed Hamilton into the Fiesta Region the following year where the team earned most of their region titles.

Hamilton's immediate success resulted in a 2001 5A State Championship appearance falling to Red Mountain High School, 13-10. They would break through beating Mountain View High School in 2003. This set off 15 years of dominance winning 7 Big School State Championships, appearing in an additional 8 championship games and clinching 11 region titles. During this time period, Hamilton football has been ranked nationally several times peaking at #4 nationally by USA Today's Super25 poll when the state record 53-game win streak was broken in November 2011 by Desert Vista High School.

National and international play The team has also traveled nationally and internationally playing some of the best teams. Starting in September 2006, Hamilton traveled to Massillon, OH to play Washington High School for the McDonald's Kirk Herbstreit Football Challenge losing 35–26. The first nation victory came in 2008 team playing Miami, Florida's Booker T. Washington High School, a 37–19 win.

The 2012 season featured an invitation from the Global Ireland Football Tournament setup by University of Notre Dame and the US Navy Academy. The tournament placed Hamilton against perennial powerhouse Notre Dame High School traveled from Sherman Oaks, CA defeating Hamilton 27–15 at Parnell Park, in Dublin.