Photo Gallery
MOREHEAD, Ky. – Morehead State University Director of Athletics
Brian Hutchinson announced Monday that
Tom Hodges has been named as the Eagles’ ninth women’s basketball coach. He becomes the youngest head coach in Division I.
A 27-year-old native of Shelbyville, Tenn., Hodges has spent the past five years at Middle Tennessee State, including the last two as an on-court assistant to Rick Insell. He just completed his 10th season on a college staff. Prior to MTSU, Hodges also worked at Chattanooga and Morehead State’s Ohio Valley Conference rival Tennessee Tech.
He has been a part of seven conference championships and seven trips to the NCAA Tournament in just 10 years, and the three teams he has been a coach for have compiled a cumulative 218-86 record. Hodges has coached five conference players of the year (Janet Holt and Emily Christian, Tennessee Tech; Katasha Brown, Chattanooga; Chrissy Givens and Alysha Clark, Middle Tennessee State) and three All-Americans Givens, Clark and Amber Holt, MTSU). He’s also had three players drafted by the WNBA (Givens - 31st to the Phoenix Mercury; Holt - Ninth to Connecticut Sun; and Clark - 17th to San Antonio Silver Stars.
Hodges tutored Clark, helping her earn All-American accolades. He also mentored Brandi Brown to All-Sun Belt honors, which led to her selection as the recipient of the Sun Belt Postgraduate Scholarship Award. His primary charge on court was the development of the Blue Raider post players, including Clark and Brown.
A well-rounded coach who understands all aspects of a program’s success, Hodges was also responsible for recruiting and scouting opponents and he oversaw video editing and breakdown. As a director of operations for MTSU he handled scheduling and travel arrangements for the Blue Raiders.
Hodges was a full-time assistant for the 2004-05 Chattanooga team that went 25-5, won the Southern Conference regular-season championship, and earned a berth to the Postseason WNIT.
He began his coaching career at OVC foe Tennessee Tech as an undergraduate assistant for coach legendary coach Bill Worrell. The Golden Eagles won two Ohio Valley Conference regular-season titles during Hodges time, amassing a 78-42 record, including 26-4 in 2000-01 (which included the nation’s longest winning streak of 19 games) and 22-8 in 2001-02.
At both Chattanooga and TTU, Hodges was responsible for all video editing and breakdown, film exchange, development of post players and coordination of all team travel.
In addition to his collegiate coaching, Hodges has coached at the AAU level for the Shelbyville Sports Shop. He coached in four national tournaments (2000, 2002-04) and won the 2004 U15 national title in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Hodges received his bachelor’s degree in extended education with a concentration in health and history in 2004 from Tennessee Tech.
He was married in June of 2009, to the former Hillary Maxwell, who is also a basketball coach. Maxwell most recently was the head coach at Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro, Tenn. where she won a state title.
Morehead State women’s basketball is coming off the best two-year period in school history with 39 wins, including a school record 22-11 this past season. The Eagles return the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in Chynna Bozeman.
Quotes
Tom Hodges
Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Morehead State University
“It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to be a head coach at the Division I level at an institution like Morehead State University. It’s very humbling to know I’ll be leading this program, and to couple that with the ability to lead a program that is set for success in the immediate future and success down the road is very exciting. Expectations are high and that is right where they should be. I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about taking the reigns and leading this program to the championship level.”
Brian Hutchinson
Director of Athletics, Morehead State University
“Embarking on the search for our next women’s basketball coach, I believed it very important to find someone that not only was ready for the challenge of being a head coach, but could express their desire to be the head coach at Morehead State. Tom Hodges demonstrates a passion for leading us. His mix of coaching in some of the best programs in college basketball, having an integral role in virtually every facet of the success they had at MTSU, and his character and integrity were all deciding factors. Coach Hodges is the best and right person for our challenge and we expect he will continue to raise the bar for Eagle women’s basketball, one that is already pretty high. I am thrilled to welcome Tom and his wife, Hillary, to Rowan County and our supportive community.”
Rick Insell
Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Middle Tennessee State University
“I think Tom’s one of the brightest, sharpest young coaches in the business. He has a passion for the game and he’s a tireless worker. The success we’ve had at Middle Tennessee in the last five years -- he’s been part of it as much as anyone else. Morehead State is very lucky to get Tom and his family.”
Matthew Mitchell
Head Women’s Basketball Coach, University of Kentucky
“I am extremely excited for Tom and Morehead State. He is an exceptional coach and I am eager to see where he leads the program. I think he is an excellent choice to be the next coach at Morehead State.”
Bill Worrell
Former Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Tennessee Tech University
“Tom Hodges is an excellent young coach and in so many different ways. He is a student of the game and is continually learning but with a sense of direction. Tom always knew he wanted to coach basketball. When he worked for me, you couldn’t give him enough to do and it was done with the highest degree of professionalism. He was in our program for four years and he was invaluable to me in all aspects of the program. I never had a better student coach. Tom was very respectful to our players, and it’s a reflection on his parents Dean and Tommy Hodges. I am excited for Morehead State women’s basketball and their future under coach Tom Hodges.”
Betty Jaynes
Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
“I am very happy for Tom Hodges being selected as the head coach at Morehead State. Tom brings a great work ethic, basketball intelligence, passion for the women’s game and a great desire to be a successful head coach.”
