On Friday, August 14, Tommy Suitts will step down as head coach of the Bevill State Community College Basketball Program. Suitts came on board at Bevill State in 2016 as the College re-introduced athletics, including basketball. During his tenure as head coach, Suitts has strengthened the program and helped numerous players move on to continue playing basketball at a 4-year college. This past season, the Bevill State Bears made it to the semi-final round of the ACCC Tournament. Coach Suitts was named 2019-2020 ACCC North Division Coach of the Year. 

Max Weaver, Dean of Student Success and Athletics, said of Suitts, "It has been a joy and a privilege to work with Coach Suitts. His legacy as an ACCC Hall of Fame Coach and a renowned ambassador for the game is secure and unquestionable, but what I have always been even more impressed with is his concern for our student-athletes. His commitment to their success, on and off the court, has always been paramount. There have been many times that he has provided me with input and suggestions and his aim was not always related to winning games, rather he was focused on developing great young men and ensuring that that our players were on-course to achieve their maximum potential in life. Personally, I will miss interacting with him, but even more so, he will be missed in the halls of Bevill State Community College and by the game of basketball itself."  

Suitts said of his time at Bevill State, "It has been an honor to serve as the basketball coach at Bevill State. I want to thank Dr. Ennis and the Bevill administration for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank the faculty and staff for their support of the program. I especially want to thank Kelly Cheatham, Randy Stracner, Tylor Hammond, Cedric Lane, and Blake Franks for their willingness to give their time and efforts to this program. The growth and success that we have achieved has been largely due to the efforts of these men. Most of all, I want to thank the young men who chose to attend Bevill State and to become a part of our program. I am blessed to have known each of them. " 

Regarding his decision to retire, Suitts stated, "I am not leaving Bevill for another job. I am leaving to become a full-time granddaddy to my five grandchildren. This has been a labor of love, and I will always be a Bear!"