Former W.S. Neal basketball coach Tommy Suitts was recently named the men’s head basketball coach at Marion Military Institute.
Suitts graduated from Marion Military Institute as the junior college valedictorian in 1967. While at Marion he was twice named All-Conference and All-American while playing for coach Bill Jones. He transferred to the University of Alabama where he played for legendary coach C.M. Newton and was named to the All-SEC Academic Team. Suitts began his collegiate coaching career in 1974 as an assistant at the University of Alabama. He was an assistant for two years under Coach Newton and helped the Crimson Tide to two Southeastern Conference titles. Suitts spent four seasons as an assistant and chief recruiter at North Alabama and helped the Lions to three Division II final four appearances.
Awarded top defensive honors as a senior at Alabama, Suitts became an assistant coach at Rice in 1979 and moved up to head coach in 1981. His first team at Rice won the Rainbow Classic Championship with wins over 18th ranked North Carolina State and 4th ranked San Francisco. Suitts’ teams at Rice defeated six nationally ranked teams.