Tommy Joe Eagles

Tommy Joe Eagles
Sport(s) Basketball
Biographical details
Born April 3, 1949
Died July 30, 1994 (aged 45)
Salt Lake City, Utah
Playing career
1967–1971 Louisiana Tech University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1979–1985
1985–1989
1989–1994
1994		 Louisiana Tech (Asst.)
Louisiana Tech
Auburn
New Orleans
Head coaching record
Overall 151–120
Accomplishments and honors

Championships

Southland Conference Regular Season Title (1986, 1987)
Southland Conference Tournament Title (1987)
American South Conference Regular Season Title (1988)
American South Conference Tournament Title (1989)
SEC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year (1990)

Tommy Joe Eagles (April 3, 1949 – July 30, 1994) was the head basketball coach of the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs from 1985 to 1989 and the Auburn Tigers from 1989 to 1994. He was head coach of the University of New Orleans men's basketball team, but died before he ever coached a game there due to a heart attack he suffered during a recruiting trip on July 30, 1994.[1] Before his coaching stint at Louisiana Tech, Eagles served as head coach at Cedar Creek High School in Ruston and Simsboro High School in Simsboro, both in Lincoln Parish.

Each year, Louisiana Tech University presents the Tommy Joe Eagles Award to the member of the Louisiana Tech Men's Basketball team who shows the best all-around combination of work ethic, academic ability, character, and attitude. Past recipients include Brian Martin (2004) and Shawn Oliverson (2010). Auburn University presents the Paul Lambert/Tommy Joe Eagles Memorial Trophy for Leadership, the most prestigious award of the men's basketball program, at the end of each season. Past recipients include current Assistant Coach at Nebraska Wes Flanigan (1996, 1997) and Daymeon Fishback (2000).

Eagles played basketball and graduated in 1967 from Doyline High School in Doyline in south Webster Parish, Louisiana. He was one of three children of the late Edward P. and Juanita W. Eagles. His siblings were M. E. "Bo" Eagles, a businessman from Houston, Texas, and Anita E. Darbonne of Minden.[2]

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Louisiana Tech (Southland Conference) (1985–1987)
1985–1986 Louisiana Tech 20–14 6–6 NIT Final Four
1986–1987 Louisiana Tech 22–8 9–1 1st NCAA First Round
Louisiana Tech: 42–24 15–7
Louisiana Tech (American South Conference) (1987–1989)
1987–1988 Louisiana Tech 22–9 7–3 T–1st NIT Second Round
1988–1989 Louisiana Tech 23–9 6–4 NCAA Second Round
Louisiana Tech: 45–18 13–7
Auburn (Southeastern Conference) (1989–1994)
1989–1990 Auburn 13–18 8–10
1990–1991 Auburn 13–16 5–13
1991–1992 Auburn 12–15 5–11
1992–1993 Auburn 15–12 8–8 NIT First Round
1993–1994 Auburn 11–17 3–13
Auburn: 64–78 29–55
Total: 151–120

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ↑ "Eagles victim of an enlarged heart". TimesDaily (Google News Archives). Associated Press. August 1, 1994. p. 1D. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  2. ↑ Obituary of Juanita W. Eagles, Minden Press-Herald, October 13, 1987, p. 3

External links