Marshall University Athletics
Big Green Executive Director John Sutherland Announces Retirement
5/14/2025 1:30:00 PM | General, Big Green Scholarship Foundation
From coaching to administration, Sutherland’s impact has been felt over 24 years with Marshall
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – John Sutherland, Marshall's Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and the Executive Director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, has announced his retirement, effective June 3.
Sutherland has spent 24 years with Marshall University – 17 as a senior administrator after his first seven years in Huntington were spent as an assistant coach for the Thundering Herd women's basketball team.
"My family and I have been blessed to be a part of the Marshall family over the past 24 years with 17 years being a part of the Big Green," Sutherland said. "The wonderful people who make up our fan base support the Herd like no other program, and Suzanne and I are so grateful to have been here. We plan on staying connected for years to come."
Sutherland's tenure has seen Marshall Athletics span three conferences – the Mid-American Conference, Conference USA and the Sun Belt Conference – and he has served as a trusted vessel of knowledge and business acumen for three separate athletic directors to continuously help Marshall reach new heights throughout the ever-changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics.
"The impact John has made is profound – not because of the tremendous growth in our endowment or the wonderful capital projects and fundraising initiatives he has led, but because of the incredible relationships he has built and the countless student-athletes he has mentored both as a coach and as an administrator," said Christian Spears, Marshall's Director of Athletics. "People love John, they trust John and they respect John. He is one of a kind and will be dearly missed here at Marshall.
"I am honored to have served with him and thrilled for him as he and Suzanne get to enjoy being grandparents while continuing to honor and support the Thundering Herd. We wish the Sutherlands all the best!"
In the last 17 years, Sutherland has served as the Executive Director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, overseeing more than $75 million in contributions, which have helped fuel Marshall Athletics' biggest capital projects for facilities. Those projects include the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Complex, Hoops Family Field, Marshall's state-of-the-art sports medicine facility, the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame and Jack Cook Field, along with renovations and upgrades at many more facilities, such as Joan C. Edwards Stadium and Cam Henderson Center.
"Over the last 17 years as the Executive Director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, John Sutherland has provided exceptional leadership, stability and served our student-athletes, coaches and administration with tremendous passion," said Teddy Kluemper III, Marshall's Associate Athletic Director for Development. "John was the right person at the right time for the Big Green, 17 years ago, and since then, the organization has grown to unprecedented levels."
Prior to becoming Executive Director for the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, Sutherland served as an assistant coach for the Marshall Women's Basketball team from 2001-08 while also being the key figure in the creation of the Locker Room Club – Marshall Women's Basketball's fundraising arm that provides financial support to the women's basketball program annually.
Prior to his arrival at Marshall, Sutherland served as head women's basketball coach at New Mexico State from 1996-2000 – a position he took after three seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame.
Sutherland also served as head coach at Arkansas where he led the Razorbacks from 1984-93 – a span of nine seasons in which he led the team to the NCAA Tournament on four occasions, including the 1990-91 season when he led Arkansas to the Southwest Conference title and a 28-4 overall record – a single-season wins total that still stands as an Arkansas record.
Sutherland graduated from Kent State in 1981 with a B.S. in Education and later earned his M.S. in Sports Management from Marshall University in 2006.
John and his wife Suzanne are the parents of three boys: Joshua, Sean and Isaac.
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