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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Mocs’ Hampton feels fully blessed

photo UTCs Dontay Hampton brings the ball down court in the game against Warren Wilson during a November game at McKenzie Arena.

John Shulman interrupted Dontay Hampton’s plans for an August afternoon.

Hampton planned to take out a $3,000 loan to cover expenses for the fall semester at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Shulman called Hampton into the coach’s office because he had a gift for the former Arts & Sciences standout. Hampton was heading into his fourth year – one as a redshirt – as a nonscholarship basketball player who had paid for the bulk of his tuition, books, meals and housing to attend UTC.

Those bills are taken care of this year.

Shulman offered Hampton a scholarship one week before the fall semester began, and Hampton almost cried in the leather chair as he accepted.