St. Anne-Pacelli Catholic School announces the hiring of Calvin Thomas as Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach. Thomas will be coming to Pacelli from Stewart County High School where he has served as athletic director, physical education teacher, and head basketball coach since 2020. Thomas replaces Corry Black, who is leaving Pacelli at the end of this school year to pursue an opportunity as Dean of Scholars at Emanuel Preparatory Academy in Midland, Ga. Thomas will officially begin his new role at Pacelli on July 1, 2024.

A native of Eufaula, Ala., Thomas has been passionate about sports since a young child, playing in numerous recreation and summer leagues. He advanced his career at Eufaula High School, along with playing AAU Basketball for the Detroit Fire (Detroit, Mich.) and the Georgia Blazers (Columbus, Ga.). Thomas then attended Tuskegee University where he played collegiate basketball for four years and earned a bachelor’s degree in History in 2014. Among many awards, he was voted the Most Valuable Player of the 2010 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship game as a freshman and earned three championship rings in four years. Thomas went on to play semi-pro basketball for the Auburn Flyers and played pro ball in Spain. Before working at Stewart County High, Thomas was an AAU coach, and served as a physical education teacher, head basketball coach, and assistant football coach at Manchester Middle School from 2017 until 2020. During that time, he pursued a Physical Education Certificate from Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy, earning the certificate in 2020.

“I am thrilled that Coach Thomas is joining our Viking family,” says High School Principal Carolyn Brewster. “He is focused on the entire student-athlete - mind, body and spirit, and I know our sports programs will benefit from his passion for athletics and dedication to player development.”

Thomas says he is eager to begin his role as athletic director at Pacelli. “Pacelli caught my attention primarily because of its vibrant energy and culture,” he notes. “Additionally, its emphasis on family-oriented practices and servant leader mindset, where everyone works toward a greater purpose beyond themselves, further solidified its appeal to me.”

Thomas and his wife, Kimberly, reside in Smiths Station, Ala., and have two daughters: 7-year-old Laiyah Thomas and 1-year-old Leah Thomas.

Located in Columbus, Ga., St. Anne-Pacelli is a college preparatory, age 1 through 12th grade, private school dedicated to giving children opportunities to learn in a safe, supportive environment where they can develop relationships with others and with God.