Bevill State Names Suitts as Head Basketball Coach

September 09, 2016

Bevill State Community College has named Thomas “Tommy” Suitts as the new head basketball coach for the College’s newly reinstated men’s basketball program.

Coach Suitts, who lives in Dora, brings a great amount of coaching experience with him to the position.  He has been a head coach at both the high school and college level.  Among the institutions he has coached as an assistant are Wallace State Community College, the University of North Alabama, and The University of Alabama.  As Head Coach, he has led teams for Marion Military Institute, Chicago State University, and Rice University.

Suitts played on The University of Alabama’s basketball team where he was named Best Defensive Player, earned the highest academic average, and was named to the All SEC Academic team.  As a player at Marion Military Institute, Suitts earned All-Conference and All-American honors twice. 

“I am honored to have been selected to re-establish the basketball program at Bevill State. In my days as a player at Marion Military and as a young coach at Alabama, UNA, and Rice, Coach Glen Clem's program at Walker College was the program by which all junior college basketball programs in Alabama were measured. My goal is to return the program here at Bevill State to a place of prominence,” said Coach Suitts.

Dr. Larry Ferguson, president of Bevill State is optimistic about the new coach.  “I am excited to have Coach Suitts join us at Bevill State.  His experience and established dedication to his players will prove invaluable as we begin this new chapter of our athletic program.  I hope everyone will join me in welcoming Coach Suitts to the Bevill team,” said Dr. Ferguson.

The College announced in May that athletics, including men’s basketball on the Jasper Campus, would be returning after a five-year absence.  In addition to men’s basketball, Bevill State plans to return men’s baseball to the Fayette Campus, women’s volleyball to the Fayette Campus, and women’s softball to the Sumiton Campus.  

For Suitts, he is ready to begin recruiting for the new team.  “We will immediately begin to contact high school coaches to develop a recruiting list for spring signing. North Alabama has always had good high school basketball, and we need to take advantage of this resource,” he explained. 

Play in each reinstated sport is expected to begin in Fall 2017.