SUU to NCAA Basketball Coach

Although his job requires him to wear a rival institution's colors, Utah State's Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach Tarvish Felton (’99) admits, "Choosing to go to SUU was the single best thing I did for my life."

Tarvish grew up an hour and a half south of Atlanta in a small town called Perry, Georgia, and, along with his older sister, was raised by his mother and grandmother. From an early age, these strong role models instilled in Tarvish a desire to serve and give back. Initially, he believed a white coat and stethoscope would be his calling, but eventually decided on a different uniform.

"When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a doctor,” he says. “As I got older, I continued to develop a passion for sports, and basketball specifically. Growing up in a single parent home and being around others in the same situation, I realized the men in our lives were our coaches."

Recruited to Southern Utah University by Bill Evans (’73), Tarvish became a charismatic and dominant figure representing the Thunderbirds on the basketball court. During each season spent as #21 for SUU, Tarvish ranked in the top ten in points, rebounds, free throws, steals, and blocked shots.

"Meeting Bill Evans and having the opportunity to play for him and learn life's lessons was the best thing I could have done,” he says. “To this day, I continue to have amazing relationships with all the wonderful people from all walks of life I met on campus. SUU opened the world to a small town black kid from the south, and I am forever grateful."

Tarvish has been teaching the T-Bird philosophies he learned from his academic and athletic pursuits to student athletes in Los Angeles, Laredo, and Sacramento before settling into ten years as part of the Utah State Men's Basketball program. In Logan, he oversees every phase of the program from recruitment, student-athlete development, scheduling, academics, and compliance.  And, he credits SUU for influencing his coaching style.

"It gave me the tools to go out and succeed in the world. Being a student-athlete at SUU allowed me to be me, to write my own story,” he explains. “Now, I am able to share that story with the young men I am fortunate enough to engage with on a daily basis."

While Southern Utah University helped Tavish capitalize on his desire to impact future generations, he says the greatest lesson he learned from his time in Cedar City is work ethic and chivalry.

"The thing I learned more than anything about myself at Southern Utah is that if you work hard and treat people right, you can achieve anything," he says.

Tarvish is proud of his time at Southern Utah University and the education that has helped him be a positive influence on the student-athletes who cross his path.  But what really makes him smile is his family. He is married to the former Jana Doggett and the couple has two children, DeAubrey (18) and Deekan (3), who is already showing some potential with a basketball and sure would look good in Thunderbird red.