The 2021 NJCAA Foundation Awards will be headlined by keynote speaker Leonard Hamilton, current Florida State University Men's Basketball Head Coach and former NJCAA basketball student-athlete. Born in Gastonia, Hamilton played baseball, basketball, and football at Gastonia Highland High School. At Gaston College from 1966-1968, he was a standout member of the men's basketball team, setting a school record by scoring 54 points in a single game.

The most successful coach in Florida State history, Hamilton is the Seminoles’ all-time winningest coach and is the fifth all-time winningest coach in ACC history. The 2020-21 season marks Hamilton’s 19th season at the helm of the Seminoles program. Under Hamilton, the academic achievements of his players is a long standing tradition of classroom success. During Hamilton’s tenure as a head coach at Florida State, Miami and Oklahoma State dating back to 1988, more than 94 percent of his players have earned their degrees. In 2016, he was the commencement speaker at NJCAA member college Chipola College (FL).