BJ Hammer
	Head Coach whammer@whittier.edu (562) 907-4269

BJ Hammer completed his third season as the head coach of the Whittier College football program in 2008. He holds a career coaching record of 7-20 which includes a 4-5 mark in 2007; the most wins since Bob Owens led the Poets to four wins in 2000.

The 2008 season was highlighted by four players being named to the All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 11 student-athletes garnering a spot on the SCIAC All-Academic Team.

In 2007 Hammer returned "The Shoes" to Whittier for the first time since 2000 with a 67-61 win over rival Occidental College. The game featured nearly 1300 yards of total offense which includes 695 from the Poets. Whittier averaged over eight-yards per play and scored seven times through the air. The defense forced four turnovers and returned one interception for a touchdown.

Since Hammer took over the program in 2005 the Poets have had five first team All-SCIAC honorees and another 11 members of the All-SCIAC second team.

Prior to being named the head coach of Whittier the Carmel, Ind., native served as the defensive coordinator for the Poets from 2003 to 2005.

A 2000 graduate of Wabash College and three-year letterman with the Little Giants, Hammer began his coaching career in 2001 as the outside linebackers coach at his Alma Mater. He helped guide Wabash to an 8-2 overall record and a second place finish in the North Coast Athletic Conference with 6-1 mark in conference play.

After one season at Wabash he moved onto to Heidelberg College where he coached the linebackers and worked as the Strength & Conditioning coach.

As a player Hammer still holds the Wabash all-time record for sacks in a season (15.0) and career sacks (27.5). He also ranks third in tackles-for-loss in a single-season (23 in 2000) and ranks second all-time with 38 career TFL.

In his senior season he was named a team captain and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association Division III All-American team where he was one of 38 players to represent the USA in the annual Aztec Bowl. The USA defeated Team Mexico, 27-26.

For his career he was a back-to-back first-team all-conference selection. He earned the recognition in 1999 as part of the All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and repeated the honors in 2000 as a member of the All-NCAC.

Hammer and his wife Emily reside in Whittier and have one daughter, Layla.