GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Suzanne Byrd has been named the new cross country coach at Tusculum College announced Frankie DeBusk, Director of Athletics. She replaces Dr. Jim Fields, who stepped down after six seasons (2000-04, 2009) with the program.

Byrd returns to the Tusculum athletics staff, previously serving as the Pioneers' women's basketball coach from 2000-05. In 2002-03, she led the Pioneers to a third place finish in the South Atlantic Conference and was named the league's Coach of the Year for that season.

Byrd will also serve on the Tusculum faculty, teaching in the College's physical education department.

"I am excited to have Suzanne take over the Tusculum cross country program," said DeBusk. "Coach Byrd is familiar with Tusculum, the South Atlantic Conference and NCAA Division II and those attributes will be plus for our student-athletes and our athletic staff. We are thrilled to have her with us in the Pioneer Family."

While on the Tusculum sidelines, she mentored five All-South Atlantic Conference performers, including Julie Maples, who was a three-time recipient of the SAC Scholar Athlete Award for Women's Basketball. In 2005, Maples was also the recipient of the SAC Presidents' Award, the league's most prestigious honor awarded to a student-athlete.

She has also served as the women's basketball coach at Coker College and at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Before coming to Tusculum, she spent one season on the staff at NCAA Division I Elon University. In 1994 at Coker, she garnered Conference Carolinas (formerly Carolinas Conference) Coach of the Year honors.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge of bringing Tusculum cross country back into contention," said Byrd. "I'm happy to be back in the Tusculum Family and working with the athletic staff and the College community."

Byrd was an honor student throughout her academic career, beginning at Louisburg College, where she graduated with her Associates Degree of Arts in 1986. At Louisburg, she lettered in basketball and softball and was an All-Region catcher. She later earned her B.S. in Health and Physical Education in 1989 and her M.Ed. in 1990, both from East Carolina University.

Byrd has served on the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Regional Selection Committee and also served as chair of the SAC Women's Basketball Coaches' Committee.

Byrd is an avid runner and cyclist, having participated in several marathons and triathlons during her career. For the last five years, she has also been a college basketball official for the South Atlantic Conference, Conference Carolinas, Appalachian Athletic Conference, Old Dominion Athletic Conference and the Mid-South Conference.

Coach Byrd, and her husband Joe, reside in Greeneville.

- TC -