Thomas Orr (Image provided by Lyon College)
A coach with deep Division III roots and a runner-up national championship on his résumé is coming to Batesville.
Lyon College has named Thomas Orr as head coach of the Scots men’s basketball program, Athletic Director Kevin Jenkins announced.
“We are extremely excited to have Coach Orr join our athletic department and lead our men’s basketball program,” Jenkins said. “Thomas brings a wealth of knowledge and a high level of energy that will be a great fit for our student-athletes and the Lyon College community. His passion for the game and his commitment to the development of young men on and off the court stood out during the search process. We look forward to the future of Lyon men’s basketball under his leadership.”
Orr brings more than a decade of coaching experience to Lyon. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach at fellow NCAA Division III member Trinity University, where he helped guide the Tigers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He has also coached at Texas Lutheran University, the University of the Ozarks, Howard Payne University and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.
He also has head coaching experience, having led the boys basketball program at Buffalo High School in Buffalo, Texas, and having coached in the Longview Independent School District in Longview, Texas.
During his tenure at Trinity, Orr coached five players to All-Southern Athletic Association honors, including the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Another player earned All-District Second Team recognition from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Throughout his career, Orr has coached multiple athletes to conference and national recognition.
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program at Lyon College,” Orr said. “I want to sincerely thank Kevin Jenkins and James McIntyre for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this program. I’m thankful for their trust, vision, and the confidence they have shown throughout this process.”
Orr said he aims to build a program centered on team-first culture, accountability and student-athlete leadership, while also emphasizing academic success and community engagement.
“My vision is to build a program that reflects the identity of the institution — competitive, disciplined, connected, and committed to development both on and off the court,” Orr said. “Our goal is to create a culture that players, students, alumni, and the Batesville community are proud to support.”
Before his coaching career, Orr played at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, where he was a two-year letter winner and the team’s leading scorer in 2013. That season, the Crusaders finished as the Division III national runner-up. Orr earned D3hoops.com All-South Region, American Southwest Conference All-Conference and ASC All-West Division honors that year.
A native of Hutto, Texas, Orr earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2014 and a Master of Business Administration in sports management from Franklin Pierce University in 2016.
“I’m excited to get to work, connect with the campus and community, and help move Lyon College basketball forward,” Orr said.
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