CLINTON, Miss. --- Mississippi College athletic director Mike Jones, along with head basketball coach Don Lofton, are pleased to announce the hiring of Alex Ainsworth as the men's basketball asisstant coach, it was announced on Monday (Sep. 10).

Ainsworth comes to MC after a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Southwest Mississippi Community College under former Choctaw, Thomas Gray. Prior to his time at SMCC, he was an assistant at Belhaven University, following his playing days for the Blazers.

"Alex comes to MC with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the college game," said Coach Lofton. "He is an outstanding addition to our staff, and I can't wait to see the effect he has on our team in the future."

During the 2017-18 season as an assistant at SMCC, Ainsworth was a part of the coaching staff that assembled a 17-9 record, qualifying the Bears for the MACJC State & Region XXIII tournaments and earning them a trip to the regional semifinals. The Bears also pulled off one of the largest comebacks in college basketball history on January 11, 2018, when they overcame a 34-point deficit with 14:10 remaining in the second half to beat an undefeated and eventual South Division Champion and State Champion, Pearl River Community College.

While at Southwest, Ainsworth helped seven players earn four-year scholarships to continue their academic and basketball careers. The Bears were named the MACJC Men's Basketball Academic Team of the Year for the 4th straight year after compiling a 3.40 team grade-point-average. They also earned the second-highest GPA in the country for all NJCAA Men's Basketball programs.

Prior to Southwest, Ainsworth returned to the hardwood at Belhaven University in 2012, seven years after his three-year playing career for the Blazers, to spend the next five seasons as an assistant coach. While with the Blazers, he served under head coaches John Aiken and Jonathan Vines and helped coach seven All-Conference players and two All-Americans. During his time with the team, the Blazers made two postseason appearances, including a trip to the NAIA National Tournament in 2014.

A native of Florence, MS, Ainsworth attended Belhaven (2003-2006), graduating with a degree in Sports Administration and a minor in History.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and will be competing for conference and national championships beginning with the 2016-17 academic year.
 
The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.
 
For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.