SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – Eddie Sutton, who will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020, has passed away at the age of 84.
“The Basketball Hall of Fame Family celebrates the life and mourns the passing of collegiate coaching great Eddie Sutton,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “As a head coach for more than 35 years, the number of lives he has positively influenced will be his lasting legacy. After several years of consideration for the Hall of Fame, we’re very proud to honor Coach Sutton and his impact on the game with the elite Class of 2020. We offer our sincere condolences to his family and look forward to celebrating the life and accomplishments of Coach with his family, friends, and fans while memorializing his efforts in our museum to be honored for years to come.”
Sutton was a four-time National Coach of the Year (1977, 1978, 1986, 1995), eight-time Conference Coach of the Year (1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1986, 1993, 1998, 2004) and the first coach in NCAA history to lead four different schools in the NCAA Tournament. Sutton ranks in the top ten among Division I coaches in all-time victories and has recorded only one losing season in 37 years of coaching. He coached Oklahoma State University from 1991-2006 and tied the conference record for wins by a first-year coach with 24. Collectively, Sutton guided his teams to three Final Fours, six Elite Eights and 12 Sweet Sixteen appearances. He will be enshrined posthumously as a member of the Class of 2020 later this year.
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.