Cleveland State’s Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Evelyn Thompson has resigned and is leaving to take the position of Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Miami of Ohio University. Miami of Ohio, a Division One school plays in the Mid-American Conference.
Coach Thompson a Northeast Mississippi Hall of Fame inductee in 2009, began her six year stay at Cleveland State starting with the 2017-2018 school year where she became known for her abilities to motivate, impart basketball knowledge and coach a group of student athletes to be the best they could be on and off the court.
A believer in accountability and discipline she mentored her players to not only play fiercely on the court but to be achievers in life through academics and community service.
While at Cleveland State Thompson compiled an overall record of 85-56 and conference mark of 62-35. Her teams consistently competed in the semi-finals and finals in the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association/National Junior Community College Region Seven Tournaments.
Prior to Coach Thompson’s tenure at Cleveland State she had more than 20 years of assistant
coaching experiences at Arizona State, the University of Buffalo, Michigan State and for a partial
season, Interim Head Coach at Stony Brook.
With an earned undergraduate degree of Bachelor of Arts in English and a Psychology minor,
Thompson played two years at Northeast Mississippi Community College, finishing her degree and playing her final two years at Auburn University.
As a player at Northeast Mississippi she was an integral part of the 1987 NJCAA National
Championship and in 1988 was named an All-American. While at Auburn she was a major
contributor in two SEC Tournament titles and two NCAA National Tournament runner-up finishes.
Thompson’s individual honors included SEC All-Tournament and NCAA Region All Tournament
accolades.
Athletics Director Mike Policastro said the following: “I want to thank Coach Thompson for all she has done here at Cleveland State and especially for the women’s basketball program. Her abilities to coach and mentor the collegiate athlete has helped the continued growth of women’s basketball.
Evelyn is a winner on and off the court and she will be missed. We wish her the best of success in her new challenge and endeavors.”