Following-up on something that I teased on Twitter back on 8/16. Former Hartford head coach, and BC alum Tom Devitt has been named as the Friends of the Heights NIL General Manager. Here’s the official release:
Friends of the Heights, the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective serving Boston College student-athletes, is excited to announce the hiring of Tom Devitt as General Manager. Devitt will manage the day-to-day operations of the collective, including donor development and stewardship. Devitt will also serve as the primary liaison between BC Athletics and the Friends of the Heights board. Friends of the Heights is powered by Blueprint Sports, the industry leader in powering full-service NIL collectives nationwide.
“We are excited about the addition of Tom Devitt to our team,” Friends of the Heights Board Member and Former BC Quarterback Scott Mutryn said. “Tom’s energy and passion for BC as well as his vast experience in college athletics will help launch Friends of the Heights to new levels.”
No stranger to Boston College Athletics, the 1993 graduate of the Heights returns to his alma mater after an impressive coaching stint at The University of Hartford. During an unprecedented athletics transition, Devitt was named Interim Head Basketball Coach on Nov. 8, 2022, the day of Hartford’s first regular season game. With just a handful of scholarship players, the Hawks gutted out wins that included a victory over NCAA Tournament darling Fairleigh Dickinson. Devitt spent the previous seven seasons as the top assistant coach, and he also served as Hartford’s Director of Operations from 2013-15.
Widely recognized for his fundraising, recruiting, and scouting abilities, Devitt was instrumental in preparing the Hawks for both the 2021 America East semifinal victory against Vermont and the Championship win over UMass-Lowell. The Hawks knocked off No. 2 UVM, in Burlington, VT., before turning around to take down the River Hawks by 14 points in the America East title game to earn the first conference championship in program history and Hartford’s first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament. Overall, Hartford achieved the best five-year mark in school history while Devitt was on staff. He was also named an America East Top Assistant Coach in 2020 by Stadium Media.
“I’ve known Tom Devitt a long time,” said Boston College alum and Hall of Famer Danya Abrams. “He coached me at BC, then we coached together. He engages with student-athletes at a high level, and he embraces coaches’ needs greatly. This is a huge get for our community!”
While at Hartford, Devitt scheduled over $1.5M worth of guarantee games as the Hawks defeated five high major opponents in four consecutive seasons. In addition, he planned fundraising events and partnered with donors to support a major locker room renovation and a team trip to Australia.
He also spent 10 seasons as the head coach at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. Devitt helped turn around Wentworth’s program, leading the Leopards to the Commonwealth Coast Conference Championship and an NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in 2007. A two-time CCC Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2010, Devitt concluded his tenure as the all-time winningest coach in program history (145). He led his squad to eight consecutive CCC Tournament appearances and four-straight ECAC Tournament bids in his final four seasons.
“Tom Devitt is a great hire for Friends of the Heights,” said College Basketball Analyst, Washington Post Columnist, and 23-Time New York Times Best Selling Author John Feinstein. “I’ve never met anyone in basketball who doesn’t like and respect him. And he’s a BC grad. Perfect!”
Devitt gained NCAA Division I basketball experience early in his career when he started as an undergraduate student assistant for Boston College. After graduation, he remained at his alma mater for four more years as the Eagles’ Video Coordinator and Director of Basketball Operations. In his role, Devitt administered the Cage Club, Boston College basketball’s fundraising support organization.
Devitt helped the Eagles claim the BIG EAST Championship in 1997. Prior to that, Devitt was a part of the 1994 Boston College staff that made an impressive run to the Elite Eight. As a No. 9 seed, the Eagles knocked off the defending national champion and No. 1-ranked North Carolina in the second round as well as Indiana in the Sweet 16.
Following his stint at Boston College, Devitt, a Washington, D.C. native, returned to his hometown to assume the role of Assistant Coach of the men’s basketball team at American University.
“Tom Devitt is well-liked and widely respected throughout New England and beyond,” said Basketball Insider and Analyst Jeff Goodman. “It’s great to see this BC alum return to lead the NIL charge.”
Devitt’s wife, Amanda, is the Director of Athletics at University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, CT. The couple has two daughters, Violet and Payton.
